


The Prince's Tale: Year 1

by Syraxes



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Epic Friendship, Friendship, Gen, Ravenclaw Severus Snape, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:48:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24014713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Syraxes/pseuds/Syraxes
Summary: Severus Snape had grew up hearing that Slytherins and Gryffindors were enemies. When his best (and only) friend is sorted into the house that is supposed to be the complete antithesis of his chosen, doubt begins to set it.
Relationships: Lily Evans Potter & Severus Snape
Comments: 19
Kudos: 57





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note:
> 
> Hello, and welcome to 'The Prince's Tale: Year 1.' Normally the authors note will go at the end of the chapters, but I wanted to go over some things with you before we begin.
> 
> I'm Syraxes and it's a pleasure having you read my story. You might recognize me from my Naruto Fanfiction story, 'Team Seven Chronicles: Genin.' In which case, welcome back! If this is the first time you're reading a story of mine, welcome! If you're a Naruto fan, I hope you'll consider checking out my Team Seven Chronicles fic!
> 
> I've wanted to write a Harry Potter story for a long time. I love Harry Potter fics where characters are sorted into a different house than the one they had in canon. It's probably my favorite genre within the Harry Potter fic community. So the reason for this story is that I wanted to put a character in a different house than they had in canon. Originally I was going to write a story about Albus Potter, but after rereading the Order of the Phoenix, I just couldn't get my head out of the Marauder era. So I decided that I would focus on it.
> 
> I chose Severus Snape because he's my favorite character. Simple enough, right? I then decided to set out and actually write the story, only funny enough, I ran into a problem very early on. There aren't exactly a lot of established characters in Hogwarts at the time of the Marauders, are there? OC's in fanfiction is one of my biggest pet peeves, and I rather avoid using them if I could. So what to do? I was playing Hogwarts Mystery at the time and the idea came to me; what if I put the character from the game into the Marauder era fanfic I was writing? It would give me a fair few characters that aren't OC's that I could use.
> 
> So that's exactly what I did. This fanfic is an AU, where not only am I changing the house of my main character, but I've added him this Hogwarts Mystery cast.
> 
> That done, I went over if there were any other characters whose houses I would change and I'd decided yes. If the characters come from Hogwarts Mystery, I might change the house they end up in. If the character is from the Marauder era, I will not change the house they were sorted into (with, of course, the exception of Severus Snape)
> 
> I just wanted to get that thought process out of the way. Now I have one last thing I want to go over before the chapter begins. I hate bashing in stories. It's a personal opinion of mine. If you like certain characters being bashed, that's cool; to each their own. However, I will be doing my best not to bash any characters. Personally, I'm biased against James and Sirius. I am firmly in Severus Snape's camp and there is nothing you can say that will change that. Believe me, I've been arguing about this since I was a kid and first had access to the internet. However, going with what I said about bashing, I will do my best to portray James and Sirius in a neutral fashion.
> 
> Now I will be writing from Severus' third-person point of view. Severus will be a lot more biased than I will personally, and what he thinks about certain characters is not a reflection of me. I will do my best, but Severus might twist that neutral light and make them come out looking for the worst, as children often do.
> 
> Everything that has taken place before Severus' sorting as happened like in canon, such as Severus and Lily meeting Sirius and James.
> 
> Lastly, before I begin, you might see some familiar text, in concerns to McGonagall's welcome speech to the first years. I imagine that's what she says to every group and have put it in this fic. Besides that and a few other lines you might be able to find here and there, the rest of the chapter is my words.
> 
> That said, I hope you enjoy the first chapter of Severus Snape: Year 1.

_Disclaimer_

_I, Syraxes, do not own the Harry Potter books, movies, or other assorted media. They are property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. I am a humble fan, making this for the enjoyment of other fans. Please support the official release._

The doors swung open at once, revealing a tall, black-haired witch in ruby-red robes. She had a stern face and Severus knew she wasn't one to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said the groundskeeper, whose name Severus had already forgotten.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

The stern witch, McGonagall, flicked her wand, and the door opened wider. The entrance hall was so big, Severus knew not only could it fit his whole house inside, but his neighbors as well. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, and a magnificent staircase facing them lead to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Severus could hear the sound of hundreds of voices from the doorway. The whole school must already be there. As Severus looked around, taking in the sight before him, he could hardly believe that it was finally here; that he was finally at Hogwarts. He had dreamed about it for so long.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her piercing eyes lingered on them for a moment.

"I will return shortly when we are ready for you. Wait here quietly," said, before she turned around and swept out of the hall.

As soon as she left, whispered conversation broke out. Everyone was speaking about the Sorting and wondering what it could be. Severus had been wondering that same question for years, but his mother was always tight-lipped around it; _"You'll find out when you go, Severus. Think of it as something to look forward to."_

Severus occupied his time by scanning the faces of the people around him, searching for Lily. They rode on the train together but got separated when the groundskeeper ushered them into the boats. Severus caught sight of the two boys from the train laughing together, but they didn't notice him.

He finally caught sight of Lily at the edge of the crowd, speaking to a brown-haired girl he didn't recognize. The familiar feeling of jealousy surged through him, but before he could put his foot in his mouth, Professor McGonagall reentered the room. "Form a line and follow me," she said briskly. Severus fell in behind two boys, whispering as they walked: "- a mudblood, she is. What kind of name is-"

The boy's conversation was cut off as they entered the great hall. Hundreds of candles floated through the air, above the heads of the students, who were sat at four tables. The velvety black ceiling was dotted with stars, an enhancement placed on it to resemble the sky if his History of Magic textbook was anything to go buy. Severus caught sight of the golden plates on the tables and wondered if it was real gold. He didn't have a chance to get a better look, as Professor McGonagall led them up past two of the tables, up to the long table at the end of the hall, where the teachers were sat.

Severus watched as McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On it, she placed an old, filthy hat. Severus blinked and wondered why it was there before it opened its mouth to sing. The song told them about the characteristics of each house and the house's founders, but Severus tuned it out; he already knew about each house and the founders. He did find it a little interesting that the hat would do the Sorting.

Severus already knew where he was going, given the choice. As the song ended, the whole hall broke out into applause. Severus clapped politely, but his heart wasn't really in it; he just wanted to be Sorted, sit next to Lily at the Slytherin table and eat until his stomach was full.

Professor McGonagall stepped outwards, holding a long roll of parchment in her hands. "When I call your name, you will step forwards, sit on the stool, and put a hat to be sorted. Abbot Jones."

A sandy-haired boy, who had been speaking about mudbloods, stepped forwards. He took his place on the stool and put the hat on. A second later: "SLYTHERIN!"

The table second from the right broke out into loud applause. Harper quickly jumped off the chair, putting the hat down and ran towards the Slytherin table.

"Bones, Edgar."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Black, Sirius." One of the boys from the train stepped forwards and after a good half-minute, the hat cried out: "GRYFFINDOR!'

Severus sneered at him, as he approached the table to the far left. _Of course, he would end up there._

"Cresswell, Dirk."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Evans, Lily." Severus' breath caught in his throat. He watched his best friend shoot out of line, blushing and made her way to the stool. The sorting hat covered her face. Any minute now, the hat would put her in Slytherin and he'd join her. Severus was debased of that illusion quick enough: "GRYFFINDOR!"

When the hat shouted out the word, Severus couldn't believe it. His whole plan, him and Lily in Slytherin, was shattered so easily. Severus never did care much for Gryffindor, with it being Slytherin's rival house and had since come to dislike it as he associated it with the two boys he met on the train. How could Lily be sorted into that house of all four houses? Any other house would have been better than Gryffindor.

Severus wanted to be in Slytherin, but if that was the house he was sorted into, what would happen to his friendship with Lily? Slytherins and Gryffindors hated each other on principle. How was he supposed to stay Lily's mate when she was a Gryffindor?

Severus saw her give him a sad smile. He couldn't return it.

On and on it went. Mulciber, Ryan went to Slytherin. Potter, James went to Gryffindor (of course both of them ended up there). All the while, his thoughts raged. The more he thought about it, the more losing Lily as a friend seemed more likely. If he was sorted into Slytherin house, would the other Slytherins be okay with him having a Gryffindor friend? No, he didn't think they would.

_Why did you have to be sorted into Gryffindor, Lily?_

"Snape, Severus."

It was finally his turn. The last thing Severus saw before the hat was dropped over his face was the eyes of the Great Hall's inhabitants on him. Then all he could see was the inside of the hat.

" _Hmm. A difficult customer._ " A small voice whispered in his ear." _A lot of talent here. And courage. A very keen mind. You would do well in Slytherin. Yet so full of doubt. Hmm... Yes. I see. You're afraid of losing your friend._ "

" _Lily's been my best friend... My only friend._ "

" _And you believe being in Slytherin will make you lose her friendship?_ "

" _Yes. Gryffindors and Slytherins can't be friends._ "

" _I would disagree. Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin were the best of friends. I have found, in my years of service, that friendships between Slytherins and Gryffindors can be quite strong._ "

Severus shook his head. Gryffindors and Slytherins didn't like each other; that was just the law of the land. There was nothing he could do about it.

" _Hmm. I can see you don't believe me. This weighs heavily on your mind. In that case, I think it had better be_ RAVENCLAW!" The hat yelled that last word to the whole hall.

The shock jolted through Severus; Ravenclaw? Out of all the houses, he had always thought that Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad a house to end up in if he wasn't placed in Slytherin; better than Gryffindor or Hufflepuff at least. But he had his heart set on Slytherin.

Severus took the hat off, setting it back on the stool and made toward the cheering Ravenclaw table. When Severus sat down, a curious sensation washed over him; almost like warm water, only he wasn't wet. He looked down at his body, noticing his robes had changed; his black tie was blue and bronze, the Ravenclaw crest was emblazoned on his robes, and a splash of blue dotted the inside of the robes. Snyde

Merula went to Ravenclaw. Wilkes, Mathew went to Slytherin. Finally, Winger Talbott was sorted into Ravenclaw. With the sorting complete, Professor McGonagall rolled up the parchment, took the hat and chair, leaving the hall.

Severus was still in a daze when dinner appeared. Lily, being sorted into Gryffindor, weighed on his mind. It seemed the night hadn't gone how he expected at all. He missed whatever Dumbledore had said, too caught up in his own thoughts to pay much attention. He stared at the empty good plates in front of him. When the food came, appearing on the golden plates, Severus' stomach growled. He didn't know how hungry he had been until then.

At home, Severus had never gone hungry before, though his family wasn't the most well off. His father was the only one who worked and a lot of his salary went towards alcohol. He never starved, but he was never able to eat as much as he would have liked. In all his life, he had never seen as many things to eat, and definitely not all on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and peppermint humbugs. Severus' mouth was watering just at the sight of it.

The boy next to him, another first year, was already piling food on his plate. Severus loaded his own plate full of sausages, bacon, steak, pork chops, lamb chops, and a large helping of Yorkshire pudding.

When everyone had eaten their fill, the food vanished, leaving the plates sparkling clean. A moment later, desert appeared; blocks of ice in every flavor, treacle tarts, eclairs, jam-filled donuts, more pudding, pies, mountains of chocolate-covered strawberries. Severus loaded his plate again and by the time he was finished, his stomach was close to bursting. All the thoughts of Lily and Slytherin vanished in the feast, and all that he wanted to do was sit back and sleep.

The desert vanished and Dumbledore stood again. Severus tried to pay more attention to his speech, but he found he couldn't focus. When he was through, he dismissed the hall. Severus rose with the rest of Ravenclaw house. An older boy and girl, both wearing Prefect badges, were calling the first years. Severus fell in step with the other Ravenclaw first years, following behind the two. They lead them out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase.

When they were away from the crowds of students, the girl finally spoke: "I'm Angelica Cole. This is Chester Davies. We're the fifth year Prefects. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to ask us."

"You were all sorted into Ravenclaw house. Our emblem is the noble eagle, soaring high where others cannot follow," the boy, Chester, spoke. "Our house colors are blue and bronze, so wear them with pride."

"Right now we're taking you to the Ravenclaw dormitory, located up in Ravenclaw Tower," Angelica said, as they came to another staircase and began to ascend. Severus felt heavy, his legs were like stone. He slowly climbed the spiral staircase with the other first years, tuning out the Prefects, who were going on about the qualities of Ravenclaw.

Finally, they came to a stop in front of a large door. It had no door handle or keyhole; only a bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle.

"It is the entrance to our common room. In other houses, I hear that they use passwords, but that isn't how we do it in Ravenclaw," Chester explained. He pointed at the eagle door knocker. "With the sole exception of the first and last day of term, when you wish to enter the common room, the knocker will give you a riddle. You will have to solve it in order for the door to open. If you fail, you'll either have to wait out here for someone else to come and assist you with the riddle, or for someone else to leave the common room. It will only give riddles to the teachers, other staff at Hogwarts, and Ravenclaw students. If someone who does not belong to Ravenclaw come to the door, it won't announce a riddle."

"On the first and last day of term, the knocker has been bewitched to ask one very simple question," Angelica said. Severus watched as she walked up to the door and knocked once with the knocker: "What is the saying of Rowena Ravenclaw?" A musical voice chimed.

" _Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure_ ," she answered.

"Indeed," the knocker said. The door opened and Angelica led them into the common room.

The Ravenclaw common room was a wide, circular room, airier than any Severus had ever been in. Graceful arched windows could be seen all over the room. Blue and bronze silks here hung all over the walls. It was too dark outside to see, but Severus knew he wanted to look out the windows in the day; the view must be spectacular.

Above him, the ceiling was domed, painted with stars, echoed in the midnight-blue carpet. Blue tables, chairs, and bookcases were littered around the room. Severus noticed the statue of a woman by a door, made of white marble. If Severus had to guess, this was Rowena Ravenclaw.

Chester pointed over to a niche in the hall. "That is the Ravenclaw library. It's not as big as the school library, but it contains almost as many books and it's a good place to study with other Ravenclaws, without anyone from the other houses around."

"It's getting late and lessons start for you tomorrow. So I will lead the girls to the girl's dormitory and Chester will lead the boys. I should caution against trying to go into the opposite sex's dormitories. For a very long time, an enchantment has been in place to keep the boys out of the girl's dormitory. A rather old fashioned rule, but the founders believed girls were more trustworthy. Professor Flitwick seems to disagree; he has placed a powerful enchantment of his own, which will keep the girls from entering into the boy's dormitory."

"Alright, you lot. Boys, follow me." Severus fell in behind Chester, going through the door to the dormitories. He led them to the right staircase, why the girls went to the left. He led them to the top of the stairs, through the hallway, right up to a door labeled _First Years._

Inside were five, four-poster beds. Severus noticed four other boys entered the room with him. He was tired and just wanted to go to bed. He claimed a bed, put on his pajamas, and fell into the bed. Severus was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second Authors Note:
> 
> Don't worry, normally you'll only be getting one of these notes per chapter.
> 
> Yes, I didn't actually write in a song. Allow me to tell you, that I have no skill in songwriting or rhyming in general. I couldn't write a good Sorting hat song to save my life and believe me, I tried.
> 
> Harper Avery, Mathew Wilkes, and Ryan Mulciber mentioned here are the same ones Severus went to school with. I looked everywhere, trying to find their given names, but I've come up short. So I've decided to give them first names.
> 
> As well as the uniforms, I changed them. I know in the books they're just black robes, but I liked how they're portrayed in the movies better. With the house crest on robes, and the colors of the houses added to them as well.
> 
> This fic will be more slice of life than anything. What I mean by that, is don't expect some grand plot. This fic will be focusing on the lives of our characters, as they go through their first year at Hogwarts. For the first two to three, maybe four, books in the series, it will most likely be a slice of life. Just magical kids growing up. Eventually, more conflict than just school life will bleed into the story, but for now, just a slice of life
> 
> Everyone who was sorted was not mentioned here. There were large periods where Severus wasn't paying attention.
> 
> Lastly, much like songs, I'm also bad at thinking up riddles. If you want to leave a review, or shoot me a Pm with some good, magically riddles the eagle could ask, I'd be very happy and give you credit in the next chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer:_

_I, Syraxes, do not own the Harry Potter books, movies, or other assorted media. They are property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. I am a humble fan, making this for the enjoyment of myself and other fans. Please support the official release._

Severus was the first one awake the next morning. As he opened his eyes and stared up at the canopy, he wondered where he was. His room didn't have a four-poster bed. Then it all came back to him: he was at Hogwarts, in the Ravenclaw tower. Lily was off in Gryffindor.

He didn't know how long he laid there, but as time passed, he continued to star up at the top of his bed. He was finally at Hogwarts. He had made it.

Severus got out of bed quickly, changing into his robes. Another boy was already in his robes when Severus left the room, and he quickly joined him.

"Hello. I'm Rowan Khanna! It's a pleasure to meet you!" The boy, Rowan, was cheerful. Far too cheerful for Severus this early in the morning. Rowan stuck out his hand, offering it, which Severus grudgingly took.

"Severus Snape. Likewise."

"Are you going to the common room?"

"No." Severus needed a shower. Rowan, it appeared, also needed one and the two found the Ravenclaw male washroom. Severus enjoyed the warm water on his skin, but he didn't spend more than twenty minutes in the shower before he headed down to the common room. Rowan, who had finished around the same time he did, joined him again.

The common room was completely deserted when they got down, but that didn't deter Severus. He walked right up to one of the windows and looked out across the deep forest below him. The scene was beautiful.

"What are you looking at?" Rowan asked, coming to a stop beside him.

Severus shook his head. "Nothing."

The sound of another door opening stopped Rowan from saying anything else. Severus turned and watched as a girl came down the spiral staircase. Her dark hair was messy like she hadn't even bothered to brush it. Her violet eyes met his and he watched as a sneer spread over her face. "What are you looking at?"

Severus reciprocated the sneer and turned away from her. "Come on Rowan. Let's get to breakfast."

Which was easier said than done. Hogwarts was absolutely convoluted. There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; ones that moved as soon as you got off them. Some that moved why you were on them, making it impossible to backtrack. Doors that wouldn't open unless you asked nicely; doors that won't open unless it was the right time of day. Doors that weren't really doors, but walls pretending to be doors.

By the time Severus and Rowan had made it to the Great Hall, it was already starting to fill with students. They made their way to the Ravenclaw table. The girl with the violet eyes wasn't there.

"Felix wasn't kidding about what his brother told him."

"What?" Severus asked, loading his plate full of sausages.

"Felix's older brother Richard warned him about how crazy the castle could be. He didn't believe him, but he was wrong."

"Who's Felix."

Rowan stared at him. Severus waited, eating a sausage. "Felix Rosier. He's one of the boys in our dorms."

"Rosier?" Severus knew that name; his mother had gone to school with a Rosier. They were an ancient pureblood family who had been in Slytherin for generations.

"I know. I wonder why he ended up in Ravenclaw?"

Severus wondered the same thing about himself; why did the sorting hat put him here? His mother's side of the family had also been in Slytherin for generations.

As he ate, he managed the shrug those thoughts off, while more and more of the students filled in. Severus saw Lily enter the hall and he caught her eye; she waved. He returned it, watching her give him a smile and turn back to the blond girl she had been speaking to yesterday.

"Severus! Look, it's Professor Flitwick," Rowan mumbled. Severus looked up and saw their small head of house walking down the table, handing out slips of paper. Severus- who was finished with his food- waited.

"What have you got there, Professor?" Rowan asked eagerly, as Flitwick approached them.

"Schedules, boy!" He offered them each a paper. Severus took one.

_Monday:_

_Double History of Magic - Slytherin - Lessons 1 &2_

_Transfiguration - Gryffindor - Lesson 3_

_Double Potions - Hufflepuff - Lessons 4 &5_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts - Gryffindor - Lesson 6_

_Astronomy - Slytherin - Midnight_

At the top of the schedule, a small note was clearly written: _"Each class will take place with another house. The house mentioned with the lesson is the house that will join yours. Please check the back of the schedule for the location of each class and the corresponding times for each lesson."_

Severus turned his around and sure enough, all the information was there. He noticed right away he had two lessons with Gryffindor, and while he would have to suffer through Potter and Black, Lily was also there. It was only too bad Lily and he didn't share potions; he learned how to brew at his mother's knee.

Still, that last lesson. Midnight. Were they really expected to take a midnight class?

Severus sighed and got up, slinging his school bag over his shoulder. "Wait for me!" Rowan called.

Rowan stayed with him and continued to speak. Severus, who had only ever had one friend, found that he didn't mind Rowan too much. The boy wasn't so dumb and Severus could easily engage him in conversation. The more time he spent talking to Rowan, the more comfortable Severus became with him. He was no Lily, but Severus was starting to think he could call him a friend. Lily was still his best friend, as she would always be.

"And my family owns a huge farm! We grow trees for wands and broomsticks-"

"What's that?" Severus cut him off. He saw a crowd of people all standing in the hallway. They were still a ways from history of magic and there wasn't any classroom in the corridor. Severus noticed two kids seemed to be in the middle of the circle and suddenly his stomach flipped. Severus had gotten his fair share of bullying at the muggle school he attended; he knew what a crowd of onlookers surrounding you meant.

With a start, Severus noticed it was the girl from that morning. The same messy hair and violet eyes. She was in the face of a pudgy boy. The red on his robes suggested he was in Gryffindor.

Severus shoved his way into the crowd. He noticed Rowan hesitate, but in the end, the boy followed him.

"Come on piggy! Say it!" The girl sneered, pushing the boy with her hand.

"I-I-"

" _I-I-_ Way to stutter, piggy. Why don't you stutter your way through saying it!"

Severus Snape wasn't a fan of Gryffindor. Even though he had been sorted into Ravenclaw, his mother had been a Slytherin and he grew up hearing stories about daft Gryffindors. Still, Severus did know what he felt like to be surrounded by a crowd of onlookers and being humiliated. He wanted to help. No one- not even a Gryffindor- deserved that... But he also knew what might happen if he got in the middle of it. He could become the girl's next target.

Severus wasn't afraid of her, his mother had taught him more than just how to brew a potion, but he lived in the same tower as her. Sure she couldn't get into the boys' dormitory, but they shared a common room and that would make him an easy target. He'd have to watch his back more than he cared for...

"Come on piggy! Say _oink!_ Oink like a pig, piggy!" The crowd around him laughed and Severus saw tears in his eyes.

"PETER!" Another voice called out. Severus' head snapped to where it came from; James Potter came strutting down the hallway. His eyes were focused on the girl and the boy. Black was behind him in toe. "Get away from him, ya git!"

Potter sneered at the girl.

She sneered back and raised her wand. "Or what?"

"Or we'll make you!" Black raised his wand as he spoke, pointing it towards her. "Bugger off Snyde."

"And what is going on here? Students in the corridor?" Severus turned around and saw the caretaker coming towards them, his eyes narrowed at the ground. He looked past Severus and to the four in the middle of the crowd. "I believe the Headmaster had said that magic in the corridors was forbidden. You three, come with me."

The girl, Black, and Potter were led away and Severus couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Come on, we should get to class."

With a new spring in his step, Severus walked to class with Rowan.

History of Magic was the only class taught by a ghost, Professor Binns, and was exceptionally dull. Severus had always been interested in history, and he- along with Rowan- was one of the few people able to pay attention in class. He took diligent notes, but even he could admit that the subject would probably be better off in someone else's hands.

Two hours later, they were on their way to Transfiguration. To Severus' displeasure, Potter and Black were in the class. He should have expected it, the girl had come in halfway through History of Magic, but that didn't make it any more bearable. Severus tried to get a seat with Lily, but she was surrounded by her group of mates. Severus reluctantly sat with Rowan, a boy in his dormitory named Talbott and a girl in his house called Tulip Karasu.

Severus was right about Professor McGonagall; she was strict. She began the lesson with a speech about the dangers of Transfiguration, and if they didn't have any respect for how dangerous the subject was, they would be sent away from the lessons that day. Then she turned the desk into a pig and Severus couldn't wait to learn how to do that.

McGonagall debased them of that notion immediately; they were sent to take complicated notes, which Severus diligently took down. Finally, they were given a match and were told to try and turn it into a needle. To his anger, by the end of class, the only one who managed to do so was Potter. Severus and his group had just managed to turn the match silver. Adding insult to injury, McGonagall gave them all- except Potter, naturally- a huge pile of homework.

Severus ate lunch with Rowan, scarfing down a meat pie, and looking longingly at Lily.

It was potions with the Hufflepuffs where Severus really shined. Professor Slughorn was the head of the Slytherin house and had the sorting gone differently, he might have ended up Severus' head of house instead of Professor Flitwick. Potions took them down to the dungeons of the castle, where it was colder than in the main castle.

Severus had tried to sit with Rowan again, but they were the last two in class. Only two spots were open, one of them next to the violet-eyed girl. Severus, wanting to avoid sitting with her, tried to go sit next to a Hufflepuff girl with an open seat, but Rowan beat him to it. Giving his friend a glare, Severus reluctantly took a seat next to his housemate.

Professor Slughorn started the class with a roll call and once that was finished, he also began with a speech about how dangerous his subject was, and if they were caught goofing off, they'd be sent away immediately.

After that, his jolly attitude returned and he set them to mixing a cure for boils. It was a simple potion and as Severus pulled out his copy of Magical Drafts and Potions, he knew he wouldn't have any trouble. He had already brewed this potion at home with his mother and looking at the instructions he found in the textbook, found them lacking. Closing his book, Severus tossed it back into his bag and pulled out his potion-making kit, setting on the task. It was too much to hope he'd be able to work in peace.

"What are you doing?" The bully girl- his partner- asked.

"Preparing to make the potion," he answered as if she was slow. What did she think he was doing?

"That's not what the book says you're supposed to do," she responded, a sneer in her voice. Severus didn't look up.,

"The book's set of instructions are rubbish."

"Listen here, we're partners. I don't want to get a bad grade because you thought you knew better than the textbook!" She snapped.

"Then brew your own potion."

"We're supposed to work together to brew _one_ potion."

"Then be quiet and let me work," Severus growled back. He didn't need anyone's help brewing a potion, especially one as easy as this one. Not from another first year, at any rate.

Thankfully the girl kept her mouth shut and allowed him to work. When everyone was finished, Professor Slughorn went around to check each pair's potion. He stopped at Severus' table, examining the finished product. "By Jove, it seems we have a winner! This is excellent, Mr. Snape. Is that a hint of peppermint I smell?"

Severus couldn't keep the grin off his face. "Yes sir. I added it so the potion could be taken easier."

"That would indeed make it taste better, thus easier for someone to swallow. I'm impressed, my boy! I haven't seen that inventiveness since Eileen Prince was a student of mine."

A glow of pride suddenly filled him. "She's my mum, Professor."

Severus watched his eyes widen. "Really? You're Eileen Prince's son? I suppose you must have inherited your genes from your mother. She would have made a fine Potions Mistress if she'd have had the desire. You know boy, at the end of the week, I'm having a little get together with some other students. Friday, at seven o'clock in the evening. I would be honored if you would attend."

Severus' mother had told him all about the Slug Club. She had been in it during her time at Hogwarts and being invited to join it made him feel closer to his mother already. Even if he wasn't in Slytherin house.

As Professor Slughorn walked away, the girl hissed in his ear: "Brown nose."

Severus sneered at her and began to collect his things. The class- except Severus, naturally- were all given homework on the potion, something that made up for the Transfiguration lesson earlier.

Their last class of the day was Defense Against the Dark Arts. It was with Gryffindor, giving Severus another chance to speak with Lily. It was with a whispered excitement that they entered the classroom. This year was a very special year. The Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Patricia Rakepick, was the first person to hold the post for longer than a year in over a decade. How she had managed to do so was the question on everyone's lips.

As they filled in, Severus spotted Lily. She was at a table alone. He half walked, half sprinted, leaving Rowan at the front door. He pulled out the seat next to her and dropped down in it. When she looked at him, her whole face lit up. "Sev!"

He returned her smile. "Hello, Lily."

"I'm sorry I wasn't sorted into Slytherin. I know that's where you wanted to go. But you didn't get there either. Ravenclaw?" She poked his chest with a slight giggle, finger where the Ravenclaw emblem was emblazoned on his robes.

Severus laughed, the first time he really laughed since he got to Hogwarts. "Well, I guess the sorting hat thought I was a better fit for Ravenclaw." That was still a sore spot though; Slytherin was the house he still wanted. But in Ravenclaw, no one would care if he was friends with a muggle-born Gryffindor. It had its perks.

"Alright, alright. Everyone, please find a seat."

Severus noticed right away that Rowan took the spot on his free side. Severus was grateful; it was only three people to a table, and better him than someone else.

"You ran straight here Severus. Why'd leave me?"

"Oh? Who is this Sev?" Lily asked.

"Lily, this is Rowan Khanna. He's one of my dorm mates. Rowan, this is Lily Evans, my best mate."

"Oh, so your Severus' best mate huh? I'm Rowan, also his mate, but I don't know if I stack up to best. Hey, Severus, can I call you Sev?"

Severus turned to glare at him. "No," he said shortly. From his other side, Lily laughed.

"Don't mind him, Rowan. Sev has always been a bit prickly."

 _Prickly_?

"Alright everyone, listen up. We'll begin with roll call; when I say your name, say 'here'" Professor Rakepick said. Severus quieted down and said "here" when his name was mentioned.

"Alright, now that that's out of the way, we can begin. Please take out your copy of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection and turn to the Foreword. Mr. Potter, why don't you read the Foreword out loud to the class? You might see that our illustrious Headmaster was the one who wrote it at Quentin Trimble's request. In fact, it might interest you to know, Quentin was once a student here. He was in Ravenclaw house."

She nodded to Potter, who opened his book and proceeded to read the Foreword. Severus opened his book to the first page and saw Dumbledore's signature at the bottom. The Foreword was Dumbledore's warning the reader to not take defense lightly and to study hard.

"I hope after hearing Headmaster Dumbledore's words on the subject, you won't take this class lightly. Right now, our world is in the middle of a war. You-Know-Who is at large, leading his formidable forces of Death Eaters against our community. Our way of life. In this class, you will learn how to defend yourself against the dark forces who are waiting for you beyond these walls. What you learn here might very well save your life. So I expect you to study diligently and really focus.

"That said, please turn to page one. Today we'll start off practicing the Curse of the Bogies. This particular curse gives the recipient a rather nasty cold. If not treated, it could cause them to collapse. We'll start by reading the text on the page, then going over the incantation, before we start the practical side of the lesson. Any questions? No? Then let us begin."

All in all, Severus thought it was a fun lesson. They got to cast the curse, and by the end, Severus, Lily, and Rowan each performed the curse and had it performed on them.

When class let out, Lily bid him farewell; she had Herbology homework she wanted to work on with her mates. Severus, who had yet to take an Herbology lesson, nodded and went with Rowan. They didn't have any more lessons that day, until much later in the night with the Slytherins. Severus, who still had his own homework to do, decided to go study in the library. Which he reconsidered intimately when he saw Potter and Black, with two other boys: one of whom had been the boy his housemate had been picking on. Wanting to focus on his homework, Severus decided the best place to work would be the Ravenclaw library.

Severus and Rowan climbed the stairs up Ravenclaw tower, coming to a stop in front of the door. A group of people was gathered in front of it, mostly older students, but he saw Tulip among the crowd. "What's going on?" Rowan asked her.

Tulip turned towards them and jerked her head to the brace knocker. "Trying to work out the riddle."

"What is it?" Severus asked.

"Where do conjured items come from?" And Severus was stumped. He looked to Rowan, who had a baffled look on his face. Sighing, Severus joined in the discussion with the others. Two more people would come up before the group was able to figure out the answer (everywhere) and they were able to enter the tower. After the whole ordeal of getting in, Severus had no desire to leave anytime soon. Rowan, and surprisingly Tulip, joined him in the Ravenclaw Library, where many of his housemates were already studying. Severus could see the appeal; only Ravenclaws were here. Older students would come over and offer help if need be.

Felix, Talbott, and the Westphall twins (two cheerful girls, who Severus hadn't seen once that day not laughing or giggling) joined them soon enough. By the time they were halfway done with their homework, the girl who bullied the Gryffindor boy came into the library. Severus looked up when she approached; she was making a beeline for him.

"Can I help you?"

The girl grimaced but nodded. "I... I don't understand the curse from Defense," she admitted.

"Actually, that's giving me trouble as well," Felix seconded. "Think you can give me a hand?"

"Sure," he said reluctantly. He didn't really want to help the bully, but everyone in the group was there because they wanted help. Study groups weren't an uncommon thing in Ravenclaw. Who was he to say no?

Switching from Transfiguration, so far Severus' worst subject, he took out his defense textbook.

When dinner rolled around, Severus, Merula (as the girl introduced herself), Rowan, Felix, Tulip, and Talbott went down together. Severus had a strange feeling when he was with them and he couldn't shake it off; was this what it felt like to have a group of friends? Lily had been his only friend before coming to Hogwarts; Severus never did make an effort to interact with muggles at his old school. Being around the others in his year, even if he had to put up with Merula, was nice.

The group ate together that night and when they went back up to the common room, they helped solve the riddle. Severus fell into a peaceful sleep. He had only been there for a day, but Hogwarts already felt more like home than Spinners End ever did.

...

Miles away from Hogwarts and Severus Snape, a woman walked through a decapitated house. Made completely of wood, the structure was old and decaying, situated on the outskirts of the small, muggle village of Writon. It was a muggle dung heap, and Evelyn Snyde thought they might be the first of their kind to ever set foot in the filth.

She and her husband Jasper had been on the run for two years, ever since that blasted Auror- Alastor Moody- had unmasked them as Death Eaters. She had to leave her beautiful daughter Merula in the care of her sister. Right now Merula would be attending Hogwarts and Evelyn wasn't even able to see her off. If she ever got a hold of Moody, she'd work him over with the Cruciatus curse for separating her and Jasper from Merula.

"Madam Snyde," the slimy voice of one Patrick Rowle. A weedy looking man, his only saving grace was being born into the distinguished pureblooded Rowle family. Though he was far down from the mainline, he still bore their name and was admitted into the Death Eaters for his pureblood. Evelyn personally thought that this was the type of servant who might sell out the Dark Lord to save themselves. He couldn't be allowed to be caught by the ministry; she'd kill him herself before she let that happen.

"What is it?" She asked sharply. Evelyn didn't like being near him for to long; he made her skin crawl.

"The new recruits have arrived."

"Tell them I will meet them shortly."

"Of course, Madam Snyde." Patrick bowed and left the room. Evelyn fingered her wand; it would only take a second to end his life. But the Dark Lord had chosen her to lead this cell, and if she went about killing her subordinates, what would that say about her? Even after she was unmasked and forced into hiding, the Dark Lord still trusted her- perhaps more with the trust she'd gained from not selling out the Dark Lord.

Evelyn swept around and pushed the door open. The house might be rooting, but it would provide good cover until they were ready to leave. Who would expect her and her husband, purebloods through and through, to hide in a backwater muggle village?

When Evelyn came to the main room, five people were standing. Three women and two men. She examined them each in turn. "Is anyone among your number pureblood?" Evelyn asked softly. In truth, she expected all of them to raise their hands. She was under no illusion that the majority of their ranks were half-bloods pretending to be pure. That usually involved seeing if they were telling the truth or not; Jasper knew how to brew a truth potion.

When only one person raised their hand, it took Evelyn by surprise. A hauntingly beautiful young girl stared back at her. "And you are?"

"Bellatrix Black."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, I choose to not make Felix Rosier a Slytherin or a perfect. He was originally going to be a prefect, but then I had another idea I liked better. If you're curious about prefects, I actually have all fifth year prefects decided. They might be revealed in time, but I won't be naming them here. Spoilers and all that.
> 
> And so we come to another major turning point from canon. Keep in mind, this story is an AU and some things have been changed. I know no one was able to hold the post for longer than a year in canon, but let's just say I have a very specific reason as to how Professor Rakepick has managed. It won't be revealed in this story or even the story after this one, but I'm planning a seven set series to cover all seven years of Severus at Hogwarts and in one of the later books, you'll find out what happened. Until then, I leave it to your speculation.
> 
> Evelyn Snyde is the name I gave to Merula Snyde's mother and her father, I chose the name, Jasper.
> 
> Patrick Rowle is an OC who won't play a major part in the book.
> 
> The Westphall twins are two OC's that may be mentioned here and there, but they won't be playing any major part in the story.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer_

_I, Syraxes, do not own the Harry Potter books, movies, or other assorted media. They are property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers studios. I am a humble fan, making this for the enjoyment of other fans. Please support the official release._

The week seemed to fly by for Severus Snape. He had his first charms class on his second day. The first lesson of the day, double charms with the Gryffindors. Professor Flitwick was so small, he had to stand on a stack of books just to see over his desk. The lessons turned out to be pretty fun, in no small part because he got to sit next to Lily. By the time the lesson was over, Severus could perform the mending charm. Lily was exceptional at charms, being the first one in the entire class to grasp how to perform it.

Three times a week, Ravenclaw had Herbology with Professor Sprout. Severus knew that taking care of plants was important for anyone who worked with potions, or at least to have a supply of fresh stock, so he paid particularly close attention. It didn't take him long to realize it would never be his favorite class, but it was interesting nonetheless.

Friday was an important day for Severus and Rowan, in more ways than one. They had finally been able to find their way to the Great Hall without getting lost.

Severus pulled out his schedule, shoving a sausage into his mouth. They had defense first thing that day, double period with Gryffindor. As the owls came in to deliver mail, one Severus didn't recognize landed in front of him, a handsome barn owl. Severus- who hadn't gotten anything from his parents, his father had forbidden him or his mother own one- couldn't imagine who had sent him one. When the owl held out its leg, he undid the parchment.

_Dear Severus,_

_I hope Hogwarts is treating you well. I had to go see an old friend in order to borrow this owl. I hope this letter finds you well._

_I'm doing alright. Your father has recently gotten a job working for the factory, but we'll see how long that lasts. How is Hogwarts? Were you sorted into Slytherin? Did you find a good mate? Write me back and send a message with this owl._

_Love, mum_

Severus jumped, leaving Rowan calling after him. The owl hooted and flew away, no doubt to the Owlery. Indeed, when Severus made it to the Owlery with his note -explaining to his mother about being sorted into Ravenclaw, his mate Rowan and the group of housemates he studied with after school- the handsome owl fluttered down and landed on his shoulder. Severus tied the note to his leg and watched as he flew away.

Severus explained why he left Rowan before his first class of the day. He took his seat next to Lily and they learned how to do the smokescreen spell.

As he and Rowan were finishing lunch, and older Hufflepuff girl approached them. "You're Severus Snape and Rowan Khanna, right?"

"Yes," he answered, wondering why an older Hufflepuff student knew his name.

"Good. Professor Slughorn asked me to deliver these." She held out two rolled-up scrolls, tied with a violet ribbon. Severus thanked her and opened his scroll. It had the time and the date of the Slug Club meeting.

The meeting was after lessons finished, during dinner of all times. The invitation give directions toward Professor Slughorn's office. Entering the room, it became clear right away that they were not Slughorn's only invitees.

"Severus, m'boy! And young Mr. Khanna too! Come, sit down."

Severus wasn't all that surprised to find Lily sitting down at the table. Though the older blond haired Slytherin boy seemed to be inching away from her. From the badge on his chest, Severus knew he was a Slytherin Prefect. At Slughorn's wave, they sat down at the only two empty seats, which unfortunately for Severus, wasn't by Lily. He was seated next to an older Gryffindor, who gave him a polite nod, before continuing to glare at the Slytherin Prefect.

"Now, do you all know each other? No, I imagine not, giving your verity of years. Lily Evans, a delightfully talented first year. Her cure for boils was only surpassed by Mr. Snape's, no doubt in thanks to his mother's genes."

On he went, introducing each of the gathered members. Severus nodded politely to each of them in turn. "And last, but certainly not least, Ms. Elena Walker here, as I know her father personally. Taught him myself since his first year at Hogwarts. A good man, your father. I hear he's standing for the office of the Minister For Magic, hm?"

The blond girl stared at him incredulously. "How did you know that, Professor? He hasn't announced his plans publicly yet."

"Oh, my dear, I do have my ways." Slughorn gave her a smile, turning his head towards Severus. "Ah, Severus. Tell me, how has your mother been? You know she used to be part of this club. I found her in her third year and she was a part of it until her sixth year. As I recall, she was having family problems. Her brother Damon was in a spot of trouble. And her parents..."

Slughorn trailed off. Severus watched as the curious eyes around the table looked at him, as if asking him for answers, but Severus didn't have any to give. As far as he knew, he didn't have an about an uncle Damon. His mother had never mentioned her parents.

"Forgive this old man for his ramblings, Mr. Snape."

Severus swallowed. "She's doing well, sir."

"So glad to hear it."

Dinner was brought in soon afterward and Slughorn spent the rest of the time speaking about famous witches and wizards who had been in the club before them. Severus got the feeling Professor Slughorn was just testing the waters. Seeing who he wanted and didn't. Severus got the impression he was one of the ones who he wanted, but that might just be his ego talking.

The weekend seemed to fly by. He and the rest of the group gathered in the Ravenclaw Library and finished all their homework before lunch on saturday. Severus spent the rest of the day lazing under a tree with Rowan. He tried to find Lily, but talking to one of her Gryffindor friends (Mary McDonald) informed him that she was up in their common room, working on her own homework.

Severus never had many friends and neither did Rowan. So grabbing their books, they started to read ahead in the Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1. It was only when Merula joined them that they put the books away. Severus had thought Merula was a bully, and her pushy attitude didn't help her case, but the more time he spent with her, the more fun she seemed. By the day's end, the three of them headed back in for dinner, laughing the entire way. After that point, it just seemed natural for Merula to join them.

Sunday passed in much the same way, though they had a run-in with Potter and Black. Severus hated when they called him that name, but Merula wasn't one to sit back and take things. She got right in their face and sneered back, promoting Severus and Rowan to back her up. The three Gryffindors- though they agreed later that Peter wouldn't have been much help in a fight- had their wands draw, mirroring Severus, Rowan, and Merula. Each group pointed at each other and it might have turned into a fight if Professor McGonagall wasn't passing by.

Severus was a little sad to lose Ravenclaw house points- with a little vindictive pleasure that Gryffindor lost the same amount- but she put an end to it and they returned to laughing under the tree. Later in the day, Lily and her friends came out, with Severus dragging Merula and Rowan over to see them. He wasn't sure how he felt about her friends, but spending time with her was always nice.

It was Monday when he first noticed the sign. Coming down from his dorm with Rowan, he spotted it up on the notice board. Flying lessons started later that same day. They were taking them with the Hufflepuff's.

Flying was something Severus was looking forward to learning. He never cared much for the wizard sport of Quidditch, but his mother had always told him how much she enjoyed flying. Severus hoped flying might help him feel another connection with her.

Lessons seemed to pass quickly that day, in his anticipation. His and Merula's potion (though he did all the work) won Ravenclaw five points from Slughorn. In his classes with the Gryffindors, he noticed a curious lack of Lupin in Potters gang. He had been looking sick for a while now. But Severus quickly put that out of his mind.

As the first year Ravenclaws were walking out toward the Quidditch pitch, Severus couldn't help remember Potter's bragging. Merula snorted at that.

"I know Potter's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet it's all talk."

"He does come from a wizarding family, so he could ride brooms a lot at home," Rowan suggested.

Merula waved it away. "Sure he could. He might even be good at it. But not as good as he's bragging; flying up and waving at a muggle plane? I'll eat my wand if that arrogant toerag is telling the truth."

Severus laughed. It wasn't like Merula was any better; if you believed the way she told it, she had grown up on a broom and spent her life flying up and down the English coast.

Severus' father would have never allowed them to have a flying broom in his house, so it would be his very first time.

Tulip Karasu had never been on a broomstick either. Her father had almost died when he crashed his broom into a giant Redwood tree in America and since then, he had forsworn them.

Merula, it turned out, was the best flier of the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff first years. Madam Hooch taught them how to bring up their broomsticks, how to mount them correctly, and how to fly. Severus wasn't the worst at it, better than Rowan at any rate. The best fliers of the class turned out to be Merula, Tulip Karasu and a Hufflepuff boy called Edgar Bones. Severus thought Merula was the best out of the three, but that could just have been his bias.

"Next year, I'll be on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. I'm going to be the best seeker Ravenclaw ever had!" Merula bragged.

"You know, I think I might try out next year too," Tulip said. On her other side, Merula nodded.

"You'd make a really good chaser. The captain of our team is a seventh-year seeker. The spot will be open next year. And two chaser positions," Merula announced happily.

Climbing up the staircase, a group of older Ravenclaws had just managed to figure out the riddle. They followed them into the common room and made a beeline for the library. They studied until dinner, once again completing their homework. After they ate, they returned to the library and went over some of the more advanced material.

When he had finally studied as much as he could, Severus returned to the common room, taking a seat in one of the comfortable blue chairs. Despite not having a fire, it continued to stay pleasantly warm. Twenty minutes before Midnight, Severus and the rest of the Ravenclaw first years departed the dormitory and made their way to the Astronomy tower. The Astronomy lesson lasted an hour and by the time they returned to the dormitory, Severus was dead tired. Staying back in the common room, Severus found a nice chair. He hoped to get a little more studying done.

Severus didn't remember falling asleep, but he was awakened when the sound of a bump echoed through the common room. The world outside the windows was dark and the only light in the common room came from the lanterns on the wall. The room itself was deserted, other than the one person who had made the sound. Merula Snyde stared at him with incredulous disbelief.

"Why aren't you in your dorm?" She hissed.

Severus rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, blinking. "I could ask you the same question."

"I was in my dorm. Until I came down."

"What are you doing down here?"

"Going to nick some food from the kitchen, if you must know."

"... You know where the kitchens are?"

"Yeah, my mum told me before-" Merula cut herself off. Severus blinked tiredly again.

"Before?" He was promoted.

"Never mind. It's not important."

It didn't sound 'not important,' but if she didn't want to talk about her family, Severus wasn't going to push the issue.

"I want to come with you," he said. Now it was Merula's turn to blink.

"What?"

"I've never seen the kitchens before, and I'm hungry."

"... Fine. Follow me, and be quiet."

Severus was pleased. He imagined that she would have been harder to convince but that didn't seem to be the case. Severus had never chosen to leave Ravenclaw tower at night, but the moment was here. Getting the opportunity to explore more of Hogwarts was something Severus wasn't going to miss.

Merula led him out of the common room and down into the darkened castle. It was the first time Severus had seen the castle at night, covered in shadows. It almost looked sinister.

They moved through the corridors, stopping every now and then to make sure they couldn't hear anyone. The tips of their wands were lit, providing a source of light.

Merula led him down to a stone basement corridor, stopping in front of a large painting. He thought she might have gone crazy when she reached out to _tickle_ the pear in the painting, but those thoughts were quickly forgotten as it _giggled_. It turned into a large, green door handle.

The room she led him to was a huge room with a high ceiling. There were five tables, in identical places to the tables above in the Great Hall above. Pots and pans decorated the stone walls and counter surfaces. At the opposite side of the room from the door, a handsome brick fireplace burns.

The next thing he noticed was the house elves. At least a hundred little house elves stood around them, bowing and- oddly enough- cheering.

"Welcome back, miss Snyde!" The closest one said, giving her a deep bow. When he surfaced, he turned to look at Severus. "Welcome young master! Is there anything we can get you?"

Severus, who was really starting to feel how hungry he was, said: "A roast chicken and bacon sandwich? And some pumpkin juice?"

"Of course, young master! And you, miss Snyde?"

"I'll have the same thing." The elf bowed again and vanished into the surging crowd of elves coming towards them. Severus didn't know if he ever had such a friendly welcome in his life. The sandwich was delicious, and Severus washed it down with a nice refreshing cup of pumpkin juice.

By the time Severus left with Merula, he had already decided he was coming back. "So when's the next time we go?"

Merula gave him one of her sly grins. "Tomorrow?"

He nodded. On their way back towards Ravenclaw tower, the two stopped in the middle of a hallway. For the first time that night, they had heard voices coming towards them. Ducking into an abandoned classroom just to their right, they managed to get out of sight. Severus cracked the door open an inch and peeked outside. At first, it seemed like an empty corridor, but voices were whispering. Severus thought there might be ghosts trailing the hallways and was content to wait for them to pass, before Potter, Black, and Pettigrew appeared out of thin air. Merula took a sharp breath.

Black was the first on his feet. He walked over and grabbed fabric off the ground, turning around and glaring. "Jeez, Peter. Try and not trip over your feet as much in the future mate. We're lucky no one's around."

"Sorry!" Peter squeaked out. Severus watched as Potter stood up, taking the fabric Black offered him.

"Why do you think Remus lied to us?" Potter asked the two, staring down at the cloak in his hands.

"He might not have lied. They could have taken him to St Mungo's if he got bad enough," Black said.

That seemed to cheer Potter up for a moment. "If they had to take him to St Mungo's, he might be in bad condition."

Black clapped him on the back. "Don't worry. Remus will be fine." Even as he said it, Severus could see the concern on Black's face.

"Yeah, you're right mate." Potter didn't sound very convincing to Severus. The three boys gathered together and Potter threw the fabric over them. He watched as the boys disappeared. _They have an invisibility cloak?_

He waited until he couldn't hear the whispering any more before he opened the door.

"Little piggy is clumsy," Merula said, looking out towards where Severus assumed they had gone.

"Why do you call him piggy? Why do you bully him so much?"

Merula looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "He's a suck-up. Worming his way into people's lives. I know his type."

The boy didn't come off that way to Severus. Other than his poor judgment in friends, Severus thought he was a little on the slow side, but harmless.

"Come on. Let's get back to the common room."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Elena Walker is an OC, who won't be having any major role within the story.
> 
> Damon Prince is the OC brother of Eileen Snape. He won't play a big part in this story.
> 
> Going forward, I will have an upload schedule for this fic. A new chapter will be published every Thursday!


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer_

_I, Syraxes, do not own the Harry Potter books, movies, or other assorted media. They are property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers studios. I am a humble fan, making this for the enjoyment of other fans. Please support the official release_

September gave way to October, increasing the workload for the first years. More time was devoted to studying and completing homework. There were some days Severus felt like all he did was study. On Halloween another feast was held, putting Severus into a much better mood. Especially since he got to spend most of the day with Lily.

Inevitably, October gave way to November. The mountains around the school became an icy grey. The temperature fell and soon Severus didn't leave Ravenclaw tower without his scarf and winter coat. November brought with it more than just the cold, however; the first match of the Quidditch season, Gryffindor verse Slytherin, was held in the first week. As a Ravenclaw, he didn't see that he had any stake in the game, and he didn't want to go watch. Ravenclaw tower was nice and warm, the opposite of the temperature outside. Merula and Rowan refused to allow him that pleasure and Severus found himself accompanying them to the match.

He hadn't been able to get that much studying on Saturday morning, the common room had been too loud with excitement. Everyone but Severus seemed to be looking forward to the match.

By the end, Severus could say he very much enjoyed the match. Watching Gryffindor get slammed was the highlight of his day; Slytherin won 250 to 60. Seeing Potter and his gang's faces was well worth the trip.

Even better, later in the month, Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff, 160 to 10. Severus caught Potter's eyes and grinned as the match ended; he returned it with a sneer.

Severus still attended the Slug club, though he couldn't make all the meetings with his study schedule. He attended as many as he could. Severus liked Professor Slughorn; he got to hear about his mum when she attended school, and sometimes he got to meet alumni that had been in the Slug club during their time at Hogwarts.

While his workload gradually increased, Severus was quite thankful for the study group the first year Ravenclaws had put together in the tower Library. Lily, who knew her best friend loved books, commented that it was strange she never saw him in the library. Severus explained he had visited the school library a few times when the Ravenclaw library didn't have one he was looking for.

"What!" Lily exclaimed as the two were walking out of Defense in early December. "Your common room has its own library?"

Severus gave her a huge grin. "Yeah. It's not as big as the school library, and we don't have a restricted section, but it's really nice. Getting into the common room is a bit of a pain, so I guess it makes sense to have books on hand."

"What do you mean? You don't have a password?"

"Password? Is that what Gryffindor has? That must be nice. No, we have this enchanted door knocker, put up by Ravenclaw herself. When you knock, it gives you a riddle. The door won't open until the riddle is solved. Right after the Halloween feast, the knocker gave a really hard riddle. Most of our house was stuck in the hallways for hours trying to solve it. It was already midnight by the time we got inside."

It was one of the only times Severus regretted being sorted into Ravenclaw. After eating as much as he did at the feast, all he wanted to do was sleep.

He and Lily made it to the school library, where she bid him goodbye. Lily waved at him as she made her way to one of the long tables, occupied by the other first year Gryffindor girls.

Severus knew Merula and Rowan were probably already back in Ravenclaw Tower by now. How he had wanted to pick up a copy of _A Practical Look at Jinxes and Hexes_ _by_ _Seymour Writ._ Professor Rakepick had suggested it for supplementary reading in the last Defense class. Asking Madam Pince where he might such a copy, he pointed over to a dusty old bookshelf. Severus had just found it and was about to go check it out when movement on the other side of the shelf caught his attention. At first, he thought nothing of it, but when he Black's voice, he paused to listen.

"-sure. What was it? Last month, Remus' mom was sick. The month before that, his parents needed him to come to help them move. Help them move into another house. In the middle of the school year."

Pettigrew's squeaky voice spoke up next: "And visiting St Mungo's . He wasn't even injured."

"I don't know. I wouldn't put it past Snyde and her mates to jinx him why his back was turned..."

Potter sighed. "Maybe he is sick? You saw how bad he was this morning. Maybe he needs to go to St Mungo's for treatment."

"Why doesn't he say anything?" Black demanded.

"I don't know..." As they moved away, their voices became less and less audible. Lupin did look really pale and sickly at breakfast that morning. And last month. And the month before.

Severus hurried and checked the book out, racing up towards Ravenclaw tower. Luckily for him, the riddle wasn't that hard (king of the serpents!) and Severus found himself racing across the common, towards the library. Merula, Rowan, Felix, Talbott, Tulip, and Liz were all around one of the tables, with an open spot left for him. Severus sat down and intended to bring the subject of Remus' monthly disappearances up, but Felix spoke before he could: "Hey Severus, can you help me with Slughorn's potion essay?"

"Uh? Sure. First, listen-"

"Ah, Mr. Snape. Just who I was looking for," Professor Flitwick's said from behind him. Severus turned around and saw his head of house standing there, a piece of parchment in his hands. "I'm taking note of everyone who wants to stay over the Christmas holiday."

"Oh! Yes, sir, I'd like to put my name down." Professor Flitwick nodded and began scribbling down on his parchment. As the little head of house walked away, Merula elbowed him "Ow!"

"You didn't tell me you were going to stay at Hogwarts! I would have written my aunt telling her I wanted to stay."

"Then go write her!" Severus hissed, rubbing the spot where she hit him.

"Too late now. The Malfoys are throwing this huge winter ball and my aunt already put my name down. I have to go."

Severus turned to look at Rowan. "Are you staying?"

He shook his head. "Sorry, Severus. My family is going back to India for the holidays. I can't get out of that."

Looking around at the rest of the table, Severus found out he was the only Ravenclaw first year still over the Christmas holiday. Severus, who was used to being alone didn't mind it.

"Severus! Come on mate! Help me with this essay." Felix whined. The thought of Lupin completely left his mind by that point and he sighed, holding out his hand for Felix's essay.

When Severus found out Lily was going back to Cokeworth for Christmas, he was more than a little down. Lily, Merula, and Rowan were all off with their families, while Severus was at Hogwarts. While he loved his mum, the chance to get away from his father for a holiday was too tempting to pass up, even if that meant leaving his mother alone with his father.

When the holidays started, Severus threw himself back into the pattern he had always had at Spinner's End. He had the dormitory to himself and the common room was far more empty than normal, giving him his choice of comfortable seating in the Ravenclaw library. He spent his time pouring over some of the more interesting books in the library; _The Diary of Percival Graves: A First Hand Account of Gellert Grindelwald's Rise to Power._ Or _He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and Grindelwald: The Parallels_.

Severus only left the Ravenclaw tower to eat, something he regretted when he was stuck outside the common room on a particularly hard riddle on a very cold night.

On Christmas eve, Severus went to bed with Albus Dumbledore's Autobiography swirling around in his head. He wasn't expecting anything for Christmas, so the next morning when he woke up, Severus was pleasantly surprised by a small mound of parcels stacked neatly at the end of his bed. Severus jumped out of bed, grabbing the top one. Four presents were four more than Severus thought he would receive. He looked at the card of the first package:

_"Dear Severus,_

_I hope you're having a good holiday at Hogwarts. I wanted to stay, but mum and dad said I needed to come home for Christmas. I hope you enjoy the sweets enclosed._

_Love_ _Lily_."

Severus gently placed her card to the side and ripped open the large package. Inside he found a box of Chocolate Flogs, two boxes of coconut flavored Ice Mice, fat chocolate balls full of strawberry mousse, hazel cream-filled Cauldron Cakes, Fizzing Whizbees, and sugar-spun quills.

Severus knew Lily had a huge sweet tooth and he was left to wonder how she had acquired so many of the sweets since they weren't allowed to visit Hogsmeade village yet.

The next gift was from his mother. Where she had managed to get five gold Galleons, Severus didn't know. As he examined them, he couldn't help thinking she should have kept them for herself.

The last two presents were from Merula and Rowan; the former got him trick parchment, designed to insult anyone who tried to read or write in it . The latter gave him five books; the _Tales of Merlin,_ Volumesonethroughfive _._

Despite being alone, it was shaping up to be the best Christmas Severus Snape ever had. Finding a comfortable blue seat in the common room, Severus opened the box of cream-filled Cauldron cakes and began reading _The Tales of Merlin, Volume one: From Boyhood to Hogwarts._

When Severus came down to the Great Hall for dinner, the first time he had left the tower that day, it was in a transformed room. Holly and mistletoe hung around all the walls. Twelve Christmas trees were scattered around, fully decorated with floating candles. Others with icicles.

Severus had never seen a Christmas dinner like the one in front of him in his life; fat, roasted turkeys littered the table; mountains of roasted, buttered potatoes; rich creamy gravy; boiled and buttered vegetables. An assortment of Christmas puddings, tarts and cake left him drooling. Severus left the hall with a full stomach, accompanied by Professor Flitwick, who was going to Ravenclaw tower. Severus didn't have to think of an answer either; Professor Flitwick promptly gave one instead.

As he climbed into bed, he fell right asleep. Severus dreamed he was back in the Great Hall. He was at the Ravenclaw table. The Hall was decorated as it had been in reality, for Christmas. Only Merula and Rowan were at the table with him. The three of them were laughing, Merula having told a particularly funny joke about an elf and a goblin when someone else joined them at the table. Severus turned and saw Lily, wearing the eagle crest of Ravenclaw on her robes. Potter and Black had been expelled, on the train home.

Severus slept soundly through the night. The next morning, Severus considered spending the day in the common room library again, but he decided against it. It would be a crime to not use the chance he was given; the school was mostly empty, other than the staff and a few other students. Those plans were derailed almost immediately after breakfast when one of the older students spotted him and pushed him into playing a game of Quidditch. They only had thirteen players without him, not enough for a game. Severus learned he was rubbish at the sport and after a few hours of playing, he contented himself never to play another game. But he had been allowed to use the school broomstick for the rest of the day and found himself flying in the cold air.

The rest of the holiday passed quickly and what felt like no time at all, Merula and Rowan were walking through the door, into the common room. Severus was playing wizard chess with a sixth year Ravenclaw girl, who was unashamedly winning. Merula felt the need to coach Severus in his next match, which only caused him to lose worse the next go around. She was still on it, an hour later.

"Geez mate, you're such a loser. How can you be so smart, and be so bad at wizards chess at the same time?" She asked smugly, as she took his king. Severus leaned back in his chair and groaned.

"Move over, Severus," Rowan said, prodding him out of his chair. Rowan took his spot. "I'll show you how it's done."

Merula gave him a smirk. "Bring it."

Words she would come to regret when Rowan beat her three times in a row. She threw the game board over on her last loss, complaining about it being rigged against her. The pieces on both sides cursed her.

December folded into January and the new term started. They were with the Gryffindors in Charms, learning the Severing Charm. Severus had just managed to perform it, thanks to help from Lily when he turned his head and spotted Potter and his mates. Potter was laughing with Black, running his hand through his hair as if he was afraid of it becoming too neat. Black had his chair on its hind legs, balancing effortlessly. Pettigrew seemed to be concentrating on the charm and failing by the looks of it. What really caught his eye was Lupin. He was back at school, appearing fine.

The burning question of Remus Lupin returned to him. Why did he keep vanishing, disappearing in the middle of the month at random? Severus had heard all the excuses. Like Potter and his gang, Severus was starting to believe something else was at work here.

At the end of his lessons, Severus raced back to Ravenclaw tower, straight into the library. His first thought was that Lupin suffered from some form of sickness and had to go to St. Mungo's to receive treatment periodically. He looked for books that detailed sickness, but couldn't find anything that matched Lupin's symptoms.

"What are you looking at, Severus?" He turned around, spotting Rowan and Talbott entering the library. They had set their bags down at the table. Rowan was looking curiously at the book Severus was reading. " _A Comprehensive Guide to Magically Maladies._ What's this for, Severus?"

Severus wasted no time explaining what he noticed about Lupin and looking for what his condition might be. Surprisingly, it was Talbott who answered: "He's a werewolf."

Severus stared. "How do you know?"

"A werewolf lives in my village. Me and my family are the only other magical folk in the area and we help him when the full moon comes about. I don't get to see him much during that time, mum and dad take care of him, but I do know the signs. If he's not a werewolf, I'll eat my shoe."

Why Severus would no doubt find Talbott eating his shoe amusing, he had other things on his mind. Growing up with his muggle father, he hadn't been allowed many things belonging to the magical world. Such as books. He had only seen his mother had hidden, which were mostly potion books. The only thing he heard about werewolves was what his mum had told him and she wasn't even knowledgeable about that particular subject.

What he did know about werewolves left him wondering how Lupin even got a spot at Hogwarts if that was the case. He knew when werewolves transformed, they lost all sense of self and attacked anyone indiscriminately. Was that really what you wanted around students?

"How come you didn't say anything?" Rowan asked.

Talbott shrugged. "It wasn't my place. Werewolves aren't soulless killing monsters like most wizards believe. The one who lives in my village is a really nice old man. He wouldn't hurt a fly. He used to give me sweets. I don't know if Lupin is managing to keep the condition a secret from the headmaster and the professors, but he seems to have it under control. No one has been attacked or bitten by a wolf."

That was true. If he had attacked someone on the grounds, it wouldn't be able to be covered up. Still, the thought of being that close to a werewolf, who could change and attack them, didn't sit well with Severus.

When the rest of his year got in, Severus joined them in the pursuit of finishing their homework in a timely manner. They started to receive more and more homework, so much so that the group had to connive after dinner to finish it all.

Severus didn't have time that night to do any research on werewolves. He skimmed through his copy of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, and found some information on werewolves, but he was too tired to continue reading. Severus fell into an uneasy sleep, dreaming of wolves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey. I just wanted to give you a heads up, since my IRL friend I have read over these chapters brought this to my attention. This story is shaping up to be on the shorter side. Seven, eight or nine chapters, somewhere around there. Definitely not double digits. I do plan to cover all seven years of Severus at Hogwarts, and perhaps his time after he graduates, and future fics will be longer. However, years 1 and 2 will be on the shorter side. Though 2 will be longer than 1, with at least twelve chapters.
> 
> Other than that, nothing much to say here this chapter. Please consider leaving a review if you feel up to it.


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer_

_I, Syraxes, do not own the Harry Potter books, movies, or other assorted media. They are property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers studios. I am a humble fan, making this for the enjoyment of other fans. Please support the official release_

The next day brought unfortunate news. As Severus sat down for breakfast, chatting with Rowan, Merula had just seated herself on his other side. A handsome barn owl swooped down and landed next to her, extending its leg. Severus noticed right away it had a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ attached to it. Merula paid the owl, detached her copy, and opened it. As Severus shoved more sausages into his mouth, Merula had a sharp intake of breath. He washed his food down with orange juice and leaned over to get a look at the front of the Prophet. The smiling pictures of a blond witch and wizard looked up at them, laughing and pointing. Above the picture was captioned two names; Brice Haywood and Rachel Haywood.

Rowan gave a gasp. Severus looked over at him. "Haywood? Oh no. I sit next to Penny Haywood in Potions."

Severus turned back to the paper.

**The Violent Murders of Brice and Rachel Haywood**

_By Charles Vane_

_At eight-thirty this morning, Haywood's elderly muggle neighbor left his house to walk his dog, which is a daily ritual for Mr. Kent. However, this morning would not be like the many other mornings, for when Mr. Kent opened his door, he noticed immediately that the Dark Mark was above the Haywood's house._

_As a muggle, Mr. Kent wasn't aware that this was the mark of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and his notorious supporters, The Death Eaters. Mr. Kent contacted the local muggle authorities right away and a wizard stationed in the office (New Glade is a well-known village where many wizards make their home) was notified immediately. He immediately contacted the Obliviators and Aurors. As Mr. Kent was having his memory modified, after his testimony was taken, the Aurors arrived and entered the property._

_They were met by a truly gruesome sight. Mr. and Mrs. Haywood were tortured to death. It is believed they suffered, for an unknown period of time, under the Cruciartus Curse, before finally being subjected to the Killing Curse._

_Mr. and Mrs. Haywood worked for the Ministry of Magic, in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. We have contacted the Ministry for comment, but so far they have not offered any comment._

_In any event, You-Know-Who and his supporters, many of whom still remain at large, are incredibly dangerous. If you get approached by someone claiming to be a Death Eater or an agent working for the Dark Lord, alert the Auror Office Immediately-_

Severus stopped reading swallowing his food. He looked over at the Hufflepuff table. He couldn't see any crying girl, so he assumed that Penny Haywood wasn't there. Though many of the Hufflepuffs were leaning together and whispering. Up at the staff table, none of the Professors looked pleased.

"That's awful," Merula muttered, closing the paper. "I wonder how Penny is doing."

"I don't think very well at the moment," Rowan said. "Especially with blokes like them around."

Severus turned to look where Rowan was looking. He found himself staring at the Slytherin table. Avery and his gang were huddled around the paper, chuckling to themselves. For a moment, Severus felt disgust. How could he have ever wanted to be in Slytherin house, with people like that? Then his more rational side took over; obviously, not everyone in Slytherin house would chuckle at a murder. Avery and his mates were a special breed.

"Harper Avery, Ryan Mulciber, Evan Rosier, and Mathew Wilkes. All four of them were at Malfoy's holiday ball. My aunt made me dance with Avery. He's a total prat. Him and his gang," Merula spit venomously.

"What put you off about them?" Severus asked, keeping his eyes on them.

"They follow the old blood doctrine, like most of my family." It seemed she wanted to say something else, but chose not to.

"Why don't you?" Rowan asked. Merula turned to look at him.

"I used to. If you met me a few years before I went to Hogwarts, I would be just like them. Living with my aunt has been eye-opening."

"I think we should see how Penny's doing," Rowan said, pushing his finished plate away. Severus followed suit and stood up, slinging his book bag over his shoulder. Merula and Rowan mirrored him.

"I don't think you'll be able to do that," Felix said, coming into the hall and taking a seat at the Ravenclaw table. "I saw her being escorted out earlier this morning. Headmaster Dumbledore was with her."

Severus exchanged looks with Merula and Rowan. His mind wasn't in lessons that day, but where ever Penny was. People had been disappearing all year, courtesy of You-Know-Who and his followers, but this was the first time it had directly affected someone close to him. He and Penny weren't friends, but they were in the same Potions class. If it could happen to her, who couldn't it happen?

Penny wasn't in Potions. Rowan was at his place alone, struggling his way through the more advanced cure for boils. Severus was discussing Penny and the Death Eater attacks with Merula and Rowan, on their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts when he came face to face with Avery. He had round the corner, setting sights on Harper. He was having a laugh with his mates as they walked by.

"- she isn't here," Avery was saying. "Probably run home to see mommy and daddy's cooling corpse."

When Merula heard those words, she stopped. Severus stopped, turning to look at her in alarm. "Just ignore it!" He hissed under his breath.

Avery saw that she stopped as well. "Oi Snyde. Are you lost?" As he spoke, the rest of his gang turned toward them. Severus nudged Rowan, as he reached inside his robes and grabbed the hilt of his wand. Rowan mirrored him.

"What were you just saying, Avery?"

"Just talking about Haywood. A shame what happened to her parents. I wonder what they did to offend the Dark Lord."

"You don't seem broken up about it."

"Why would I? You should know Snyde, that you don't tell the Dark Lord no. Your parents-"

"Don't talk about my parents!" Merula hissed. Severus saw her whip out her wand, faster than Avery could react and point it at his face. Avery's gang drew their wands, pointing them at Merula. Severus responded in kind, followed a moment later by Rowan.

"What are you going to do Snyde?" Avery sneered, reaching down and drawing his own wand.

" _Expelliarmus_!" Severus hissed, a flash of red light sending Avery's wand flying out of his hand. He looked half surprised and enraged as he turned to Severus.

"You filthy half-blood! It's good to know that your father's muggle blood doesn't handicap you."

Severus knew this was coming since he first said his mother was Eileen Prince. It had been a scandal when it happened; pureblood Eileen Prince defying her parents and went on to marry a muggle. Severus didn't think much of his father (not that his father thought much of anything else), but he knew when he was being insulted.

"Yeah. I'm a half-blood, so what?" If he wasn't pointing his wand at Avery's gang, it would be in his face.

"Well, that just means your father's filthy blood mixed with your mother's good blood. Shame she didn't have the sense to marry a pureblood."

Severus heard the insult to his mother and flushed a moment, all his sense left him and he whirled around to point his wand at Avery's face.

"OI! What's going on here!" A voice shouted. Severus returned to his senses and saw an older girl moving towards them. Her robes were touched with red, Gryffindors crest emblazoned on the same robes. Only on the other side of her robes, a gold Prefects badge glinted.

"Selwyn. What does it look like? I have two wands pointed at my face," Avery said calmly. "And their other friend has pointed towards my mates."

"It looks like your mates have their wands outpointed back. All of you, wands away."

Severus didn't care to put his wand away, but facing a prefect, he didn't have a choice if he wanted to avoid detention. He shoved his wand back in his pocket. Merula and Rowan reluctantly followed, as did Avery's gang. Avery himself bend down to pick up his wand, dusting it off and putting it inside his pocket.

"Alice?"

"Over here Frank," the girl called back. From down the corridor, an older Gryffindor boy walked towards them, the gold prefects badge also on his chest.

"Longbottom," Avery said, his tone hard. Severus saw the boy Frank give Avery a glare, before turning his attention to Alice. "What's happening here?"

"This lot," she gestured to all of them. "Had their wands out and pointed at each other. Another minute of that and cursed would have gone flying."

"You know you're not supposed to do magic in corridors between classes," Frank said, giving them a reproachful look.

"We weren't," Merula insisted, "Nothing happened."

"Because Alice was here," Frank said, frowning at the group. "What do you think, Alice? You are the one who caught them."

"I was thinking about detention, but it's almost time for class and I can't be late for Charms again. So I'm going to let you off easy. Make sure you all get to class. I won't be so nice if I catch you doing this again."

Severus didn't need to be told twice. Giving Merula and Rowan a nod, the three of them made their way towards Defense.

"Avery's such an arse," Rowan muttered, leaving the prefects and Slytherins behind them.

Merula snorted. "You should have seen him at the Malfoy's."

Professor Rakepick was already calling the class to order, by the time they arrived. "Mr. Snape, Mr. Khanna, Ms. Snyde. How nice of you to join us. Please, take your seats."

Potter and Black snickering at him made Severus sneer back, but when he took his seat next to Lily that was quickly forgotten.

"Now that we're all here, I want everyone to listen up. Today, we'll be covering the social habits of dire wolves. Direwolves are not werewolves, though it is common for them to be mistaken as such. Can anyone tell me why?"

Severus snapped his head towards Lupin as soon as werewolves were mentioned. He saw Lupin stiffen in his chair. _Guilty consciousness, hey Lupin?_

"No? I'm not surprised. Direwolves are incredibly rare. They are the offspring of two werewolves, who mated during the full moon. This event has only been known to have happened two times for such, though it could have happened many more times, just that we are unaware of them."

Severus watched Lupin. He seemed to be staring at Professor Rakepick in dread. Potter, Black, and Pettigrew seemed oblivious.

"Direwolves, like true werewolves when transformed, resemble normal wolves. Direwolves are believed to be as strong and as fast as werewolves, who themselves are stronger and faster than normal wolves. Direwolves however, lack the ability to ever change into a human, nor can they infect humans like a true werewolf would be able to. Direwolves are also intelligent and are classified as beings, as opposed to werewolves, that can be classified as being or beast. Direwolves are not mindless, they retain the ability to think. They do not attack humans. In fact, when a werewolf has tried to attack a human in the presence of a dire wolf, the dire wolf protected the human.

"Please take out your copy of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection and turn to the page, one hundred and seventy-four. Mr. Snape, why don't you start us off?"

All throughout the lesson, Severus kept tabs on Lupin. He began to grow progressively more pale as the lesson continued. By the time it was over, Lupin raced out of the classroom.

"I can't believe she assigned us an essay on Direwolves. Two rolls of parchment on her desk by Tuesday," Merula moaned.

Severus felt her pain as they left the classroom. He went to the library, returning three of the books he borrowed. It happened on his way back to Ravenclaw Tower. He was trudging through the January snow when a voice called behind him: " _Stupefy!_ "

Severus' body suddenly locked up. He couldn't move a muscle, following face-first into the snow. The sounds around him were muffled by the ice-cold snow. Severus wondered if it was Avery and his gang who found him and decided to attack while he was alone, but when his body began floating in the air, he saw Potters sneering face, wand pointed towards him.

"All right, Snivellus?" Black and Pettigrew flanked him, but there was a curious lack of Lupin. "I got a question for you, Snivellus. I kept seeing you sneak peeks at Remus during class. And he didn't look so good by the time he left."

"Must have been Snivellus looking at him. Who wouldn't be sick with the great greasy git looking their way? You can smell his hair a mile away."

Severus flushed, his face heating up. His mother had always told him stories of how Tobias Snape was in his youth; a handsome young man, who laughed easily. By the time Severus had been born, that man was gone. The only father he knew was an often drunk, vindictive man, who didn't seem to like anything. There were nights he locked himself in the washroom, forcing Severus to go to school without being able to wash. It used to be commonplace and the other children at his primary school often made fun of his old clothes and stench.

"Is that it, Snivellus? Did you make Lupin sick by looking at him?" Potter jeered. "Or did you-"

"LET HIM GO!" Lily's voice roared over the snowy grounds. Lily and two of her friends came rushing towards them. Her wand was out and her fiery hair seemed to crackle with electricity. Potter's free hand jumped to his hair, rumpling it. He stood up taller, puffing his chest out.

Around them, students began poking their heads out of the hallways and windows, seeing what the commotion was. He heard chuckles and jeering.

"Hey Evans, come to see Snivellus?" Potter asked, his voice sounding calm.

"Let. Him. Go," she said slowly, pointing her wand at them. Black snorted.

"What are you going to do, Evans-?"

" _Stupefy._ " She calmly flicked her wand at Black, the jet of red light hitting him in his chest. He fell backward onto the ground, his eyes opened wide in shock.

Severus heard Lily mutter something and suddenly he could move again. Severus jumped up, grabbing his fallen bag. He had half a mind to curse Potter while his back was turned, but as he looked around, seeing all of the faces, shame overwhelmed him.

Severus ran from that place as fast as his legs would carry him. Pushing through the crowd of interested students and into the halls. He didn't know where he was going until he was in front of the door leading into the common room. Severus didn't remember what the riddle was a moment later. He ran through the common room, ignoring Merula, and Rowan's shouts at him. Up the right staircase, into the boys' dormitory.

He rushed over to his four-posted, reached under his bed, and pulled out his trunk. Severus could feel the tears sting at the edge of his eyes and he whipped them away.

He pulled out the handwritten book his mother had given him. She had written it during her time at Hogwarts. Full of hexes, jinxes, and curses, it was just what he needed. Neither his copies of Guide to Self-Protection or Standard Book of Spell had what he was looking for.

Severus was reminded of Arthur Layden, his most prominent bully at Belmont Primary School. He was the boy who led the bullying the most, the one the others flocked to. Severus never imagined he would hate anyone more than he hated Arthur, but Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew had done it. How odd it was, finding that he would take Arthur over someone else.

"Severus?" Rowan's voice asked from the doorway. He pulled his mother's book close and turned to face his friend, whose look changed from bewilderment to concern.

"Severus? Are you okay?"

He didn't know why he did it; why he told Rowan about his shameful encounter with Potter and Black, but the words came tumbling out of his mouth.

Rowan's face hardened and he coaxed Severus down to the library, where he told the other first years what had happened. Severus remained silent, allowing Rowan to tell it, why he was staring at his mother's book.

"Those little ares's!" Merula hissed, slapping her hand down at the table. "I knew Pettigrew was a snake, but so are Potter and Black, huh?"

"What do you expect? Sirius is a Black," Felix hissed. "I thought my cousin Evan was bad. The whole Black family is rotten."

"We can't let them get away with this," Tulip said. Severus, for the first time since Rowan convinced him to calm down, did he look away from his mother's book. The rest of the group around the table turned to look at her too. "I know bullies. If you let them get away with this Severus, they'll never stop. I say we give Potter, Black, and Pettigrew a taste of their own medicine."

"I agree. If they think they can do that to my mates and get away with it, they have another thing coming." Severus looked over at Merula and felt a sudden spike of warmth feeling towards her. Rowan was at her side nodding. Felix, though looking more reluctant, seemed to be agreeing. It was left to Talbott to speak.

"I'm not against it in principle," he stared, folding his fingers together in front of him. "But I don't think we should do this if it's going to get us caught by Mr. Filtch or one of the teachers. We should do this quietly. We should also decide what we should do with Lupin."

"With Lupin?" Merula asked, turning her sneer towards him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, what should we do about Lupin?" Talbott repeated patiently. "Lupin wasn't there when you were ambushed by Potter and Black, was he, Severus?"

"No."

"So what? His mates attacked Severus! Did he try and stop them? No!"

"So it's guilt by association? I thought you of all people would be against that," Talbott whispered quietly.

Merula narrowed her eyes at him. "What does that mean?"

"Your parents," was all he said. Severus was confused; what did her parents have to do with this?

Merula's sneer turned into a glare. For a moment Severus thought she was going to take her wand out and curse him, but she pulled back. "Fine. Lupin wasn't there. But if he tries to stop us, it's all off."

Talbott nodded curtly. "All right. So now we need to decide what we're going to do about Potter and the other two. On that front, I have an idea."

As Severus and the other first year, Ravenclaws were plotting against James Potter and his friends, across the country, in the rainy village of Halbury, a meeting of another kind was taking place. Evelyn Snyde stared longingly up at the moon. Halbury was a particularly rainy place, full of muggles. Evelyn couldn't understand its quiet charm that had drawn the villagers to Halbury in the first place. It did make a good place to hide from the Aurors, and after what had happened, Evelyn was thankful for it. The Haywood's had fought harder than Evelyn had originally thought they would have. The two had fought to the last, and though they were her enemy, Evelyn could respect that.

The Dark Lord had ordered the death of the whole family, but Haywood's only child was behind Hogwarts walls, protected by Albus Dumbledore. There was no way Evelyn could reach her. The Dark Lord understood this and assured her the survival of the youngest Haywood didn't matter. The message had been sent.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. "Enter." She thought it was Jasper, the only member of the cell that seemed readily able to approach her. Evelyn used a combination of force and the threat of the Dark Lord to keep her cell together. It was not uncommon for failure to be met by the Cruciartus Curse. So far, only two people have escaped having it placed on them. Her husband Jasper, one of the only few people in this world she loved and Bellatrix Black.

It wasn't her husband who came in, but the Black in question. Bellatrix hesitated at the threshold for a moment, before entering the room. Jasper was in one of the other rooms being tended to. That bitch Rachel Haywood had gotten him good in the leg with her curse. The healer from St. Mungo's assured her he would be able to fix it. Even in the wizarding hospital, the Dark Lord had followers.

"Bellatrix." She said softly. Bellatrix Black had only been on one mission since she joined Evelyn's cell. The very first mission she had ever undertaken as a Death Eater. She did it brilliantly. Evelyn had been the one to teach her the three unforgivable curses, and like Evelyn had when she had been Bellatrix's age, she took to them. Evelyn enjoyed causing pain; it was both a sexual and a dominating experience. She couldn't say for sure, but from the way Bellatrix took to it, she must have felt a similar way.

"Evelyn. I hope I haven't interrupted anything?"

"No. I was just, lost in thought. What is it?"

"We have a message, from the Dark Lord. He wants us to locate a witch, that disappeared from the wizarding world over a decade ago."

"Who is it?"

"Eileen Prince."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note:
> 
> As you can see, the Gryffindor fifth year Prefects are Frank Longbottom and Alice Selwyn. I looked everywhere I could to try and find Alice's maiden name but came up blank. So I decided on the surname Selwyn. I always liked that name. Think it looks cool.
> 
> I know in Harry Potter, the offspring of two werewolves, who are conceived in the wolf form, doesn't really have its own name. So I decided to name them Direwolf/Direwolves.
> 
> Arthur Layden is an OC, that will not play a big part in this story.
> 
> I also imagine some of the James Potter and Sirius Black fans might not happen about the two's unprovoked attack on Severus. Well, I can only say, you need only to look at the chapter Snape's Worst Memory to get an idea of what the two were like as dumb kids. I used to hate James and Sirius. In elementary and middle school, I used to be bullied quite a bit. After reading Snape's Worst Memory, I guess I really felt for the guy. Now that I'm an adult, I can recognize that kids can do stupid things. I don't hate James and Sirius anymore. I know they were dumb teenagers at the time. At this point in the story, Severus and the other Ravenclaws are also dumb kids. And dumb kids are just that. It's not an indictment against Sirius' and James's characters. Just that it has been confirmed they bullied Severus at school. Even though he was sorted into Ravenclaw here, they still had that interaction on the train.
> 
> Could their relationship change? Might they end up not hating each other as much as they did in canon? It's completely possible, but if I were to tell you for sure, that would be a spoiler.


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer_

_I, Syraxes, do not own the Harry Potter books, movies, or other assorted media. They are property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers studios. I am a humble fan, making this for the enjoyment of other fans. Please support the official release_

Severus frowned as he rummaged through his bag. The parchment Merula had given him for Christmas, only made to insult anyone who tried to read it, was gone. Then he remembered what happened the day before, being upside down. It might have fallen out then. A surge of anger washed through him before he calmed down. Today he'd pay Potter and Black back for their prank.

Severus left the tower with Merula and Rowan. They had to wait until classes were over before they could get the plan underway, and neither Rowan nor Merula wanted to leave him for along, just in case.

It was Friday and the anticipation of the weekend was wading through every class. The excitement was palpable. By the time lessons ended, the students moved through the hallways under visible relief. Normally Severus would hang back and speak with Lily, or else head back toward Ravenclaw tower. Not today. Today was ppayback.

They waited in the library for a few hours, waiting until Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew came in laughing.

Severus, Merula, and Rowan made their way to the abandoned classroom half an hour after their Gryffindor targets arrived. Hiding behind the desks, each one of them took out their wands and waited. Severus tried to quiet his breathing, trying to make as little sound as possible. He didn't want to tip Potter and his lot off.

Severus didn't know how long the three were waiting there when the doors were thrown open. Three sets of footsteps came through, pausing.

"James, are you sure the girl said this is the classroom?" Black's voice said from the other side of the desk. Severus turned to eye Merula and Rowan. They nodded.

"That's what she said? I don't know-"

If the plan went right, the three of them wouod be waiting, wands out. He, Merula, and Rowan jumped up from behind the desk, each shouting " _Expelliarmus_!"

Severus pointed his wand at Black's hand; Merula at Potter's; Rowan at Pettigrew's. The three wands went flying through the air, caught by Tulip. She effortlessly grabbed them out of the air, as she, Talbott, and Felix bolted out from behind another desk.

"Oi Snivellus! What do you think-" Severus pointed his wand at Black, saying: " _Stupefy!_ " The light hit him square in the chest, shutting him up. Merula and Rowan mimicked him, hitting Potter and Pettigrew.

"So you think it's funny, attacking someone else like that?" Rowan asked, walking over to them. Merula nudged Black with her toe.

"We'll show you how funny it is," Merula sneered. "Tulip, did you get it?"

"Oh yeah." She pulled out a black case, setting it down on the floor where she leaned down. She started to hum to herself. "When I told Angela Rowle what I needed her Every Witch products for, she was happy enough to lend them to me."

Tulip pulled out the witch products; make-up, lipstick, and other assorted feminine products. Severus watched as Tulip and Merula applied the make-up to Potter, Black, and Pettigrew's faces, Severus, Talbott, and Felix kept watch by the door. Listening carefully for anyone coming down the hall.

The end product was a full face of make-up, topped with ruby red lipstick. Tulip stood up to examine her handy work. Merula couldn't stop giggling.

"Every Witch is enchanted to last anywhere from an hour to twenty-four hours. Angela has a twelve-hour kind. Enjoy boys."

Severus chuckled, watching as his friends left the room. He was in the doorway when he looked back at his bullies. "It's getting dark. You should get back to Gryffindor tower before someone finds you."

And Severus closed the door behind him, leaving Potter, Black and Pettigrew stupefy'd behind him. He returned to Ravenclaw tower with his friends, laughing about what they had done to Potter and his gang. They returned Angela's Every Witch products to her, thanking her for letting them use it.

When they made their way to the Great Hall for dinner, Severus couldn't spot Black or Potter at the Gryffindor table, giving him a surge of pleasure. Though he never saw Potter, Black, or Pettigrew in public with the Every Witch make-up on, rumors started to spread about the three boys being found in make-up. Severus took a great liking to watch girls approach the three boys, telling them they could borrow their make-up if they needed to.

The glare from the three assured Severus they wouldn't forget this anytime soon, but as he was always with Rowan and Merula, sometimes joined by the twins, Felix, Talbott, and Tulip, they didn't have the chance to catch him alone.

January gradually turned into February. As they got closer to the end of the year, the workload increased. Severus now spent more time than ever outside of classes in Ravenclaw tower, finishing homework. Atudying took more time than every. Severus had to put his mind to work to understand and keep straight everything he was learning, but he was coping with it well enough. These study sessions with the other first years made life easier for Severus.

February came with more good news for Severus. The next Quidditch match, Ravenclaw vs Slytherin was played. Gryffindor won their match against Hufflepuff, the latter of whom Severus was rooting for and that put them in second place. If Ravenclaw lost to Slytherin, Gryffindor would gain the lead. When the match finally came to an end, Ravenclaw won, 180 to 20. Most of Ravenclaw's players were sixth and seventh year. They comprised one of the best teams Ravenclaw house has had in the last 100 years. They were firmly ahead in the lead now.

Though that didn't stop the news from outside the school from reaching them. Everyone knew that Albus Dumbledore was the only man You-Know-Who ever feared and being in Hogwarts, under his protection, created a bubble of safety around the students. A bubble that the rest of the country didn't enjoy. Almost daily news filtered into the school, of attacks, killings, witches, and wizards caught under the Death Eaters spells or else any combination of the three. The news was so much that Professor Rakepick introduced a new part of her course.

As Severus, Merula and Rowan entered their Defense class, a strange sight met them; next to Professor Rakepick, little Professor Flitwick was standing.

As they entered, he beamed at the Ravenclaws.

"Take your seats, I'll explain once everyone is sitting," Professor Rakepick called. Severus joined Lily and Rowan, looking curiously at the two Professors. When all the class had seated, Professor Rakepick spoke: "As many of you will know, our world, our way of life is being threatened by the dark wizards calling himself Voldemort."

All around the class, people flinched. Professor Rakepick ignored this and continued: "He and his Death Eaters are attacking anyone who defies them. Right now, at this school, you are safe under Albus Dumbledore's watchful gaze. However, anytime you leave Hogwarts, this will not be the case. In light of this, I have spoken to Professor Dumbledore, allowing me to teach each year dueling. Not only how to duel, but give you practical experience in a situation where you might need to fight. So in light of this, with Professor Flitwick's help, I'm starting the Hogwarts dueling club. It will be divided by year. First, second and third years will have Saturday morning. Fourth and fifth years, Saturday evening, Sixth and Seventh, Sunday evenings. This dueling club is not mandatory, but I urge you all to attend. Defense Against the Dark Arts is important, and this dueling club will supplement your lessons. I'll now turn the class over to Professor Flitwick, who can explain the how's better than me."

Professor Rakepick moved to the side, allowing the little Professor to take center stage. Severus leaned forward; students of the other houses might not know it, but every Ravenclaw knew Professor Flitwick was once an international dueling champion. One of the best in the world. The chance to sit here now and learn from him? Well Severus couldn't pass that up.

Flitwick began speaking about his career as a duelist, and how the skills he learned had helped him escape the Death Eaters who had come after him. He had spent most of his youth in dueling circles. He expressed his desire to help run the Dueling Club and encouraged them to take up Professor Rakepick's offer.

At the end of his speech, Professor Rakepick took center stage again. "Let me be clear, this is not to teach you new curses, hexes, jinxes or anything of that nature. This club would help hone your reflexes, ability to think under pressure. You'll be using what you've learned already. If you want to take part, meet me tomorrow morning, at 9 o'clock sharp. We'll be meeting in room 111."

The next day, after a filling breakfast, Severus Merula and Rowan found their way to room 111. It was an old classroom, and one of the larger ones. Not as large as the Great Hall, but large enough to serve the purpose. It wasn't too long before Professor Rakepick and Professor Flitwick arrived. True to her word, Professor Rakepick didn't teach any new jinx, hex, or curse, instead of pulling them up in front of the room, two at a time. The two were always the same year. They were first taught the proper way of dueling, at Professor Flitwick's insistence.

Then they observed the first match, between Professor Rakepick and Professor Flitwick. Flitwick was the winner, but Severus could tell neither was really trying.

Two second years were called up, with each professor coaching one of them. When a winner was decided, the professors would review the match, before calling up a second pair. Everyone got to participate in one match. Severus was put against Penny Haywood, though he did feel bad about jinxing her. Her intensity surprised him; he had always thought she was more laid back. Right now she was focused and determined.

When Severus returned to the common room with Merula and Rowan, his head was spinning. There had been too much information to take in, but Severus couldn't wait until next Saturday. They spent the rest of the day studying, taking periodic breaks. When Sunday rolled around, Merula made the case of taking it easy and just relaxing. Severus, along with Rowan, didn't put up too much of a fight.

They spent the morning playing wizards chess, both losing heartily to Rowan. They didn't go down for lunch, instead, Merula snuck into the kitchen and brought them back food.

Severus started eating a bacon sandwich, watching as Rowan checkmated him. He groaned and leaned back in his chair, watching the combination of all his skill fail.

"That's another win," Rowan chirped happily.

"I told you, lad! To send me there!" His knight hissed back up at him. Severus, who didn't want to hear any of that from his own pieces, packed them away.

Merula was just taking out her own set. Neither she nor Severus had been able to defeat Rowan at chess, and it had since become a dear ambition to do just that.

As he traded places with her, Merula suddenly looked at her. "I saw Potter and his gang on my way up."

Severus looked at her, watching as her pieces set themselves up. "What was he doing? Hexing someone?"

"Not Potter. Black was, though. He was hexing a Hufflepuff boy. Cheeked him well, by the looks of it. Do you know much about Edgar Bones?"

"The name sounds familiar," Severus offered. Rowan's eyes light up.

"As in Amelia Bones? The Auror who exposed that whole Death Eater cell before term started? Blimey, she was everywhere after that."

"The very same," Merula said smugly. "Apparently big sister Amelia has been teaching little brother Edgar. I know we didn't learn that jinx at Hogwarts. I'm going to ask him if he'll teach me."

"Jinx? What'd he did?" Severus asked eagerly.

Merula started laughing. Severus could see a tear running down her face. "He made him dance. Tap dance. He got away from Lupin and Pettigrew, tap dancing out of the Great Hall. Oh, you should have seen it. His friends ran after him, and you could hear the other students laughing. That's the funniest thing I've ever seen!"

Severus had wished he saw that. He could only imagine Black tap dancing, and how funny that would be. Even Rowan couldn't help chuckling at the image.

"Knowing Potter and his gang, I'd be careful if I was Edgar," Rowan said, the chuckling finally subsiding. "Or at least keep his friends close."

Merula, who had also regained her composure, ordered her pawn forwards. It didn't argue with her like last time, making Severus wonder if she had threatened the pieces. Could you threaten enchanted chess pieces?

Rowan ordered his pawn to mirror hers. "We're getting closer and closer to the end of the term. The tests are coming up. Think we should draw up a study schedule?" Rowan asked.

Merula groaned. "More studying? That's all we ever do. Just study. I swear, I've never studied half as much in my life since I got to Hogwarts."

"Then you shouldn't have been sorted into Ravenclaw," Severus snapped back, watching as Merula deployed her knight. "I don't think that's a bad idea. We could probably start working on it, and bring it up to the group tomorrow."

"More studying. I swear that's all we ever do." Merula muttered.

Severus and Rowan grinned. "That's kind of what we're here at Hogwarts. To learn how to study, isn't it?"

"Yes, but that's not the only reason we're here! We should be exploring the castle and the grounds! Going on an adventure!"

Rowan's queen captured Merula's knight. "And get caught by every teacher? Mr. Filtch? Yeah, that's a great idea," Severus said sarcastically. Merula leveled a glare on him.

"We wouldn't be caught."

"Oh? And how do you propose we do that?"

"Avoid the teachers. And Mr. Filtch."

"Brilliant. Why didn't we think of that? I suppose we just have to opt-out of being caught, do we?"

"No. We'll be more sneaky than that. So we don't get caught. It'd be a lot easier if we had an invisibility cloak. My aunt owns one, but it's not worth taking it and getting caught. She'd have my head on a platter."

"Oh? Aunt that strict," Rowan asked, as his Rook took her Queen. Merula stared down at the game board, her eye twitching. Severus could see it too; she was losing. She was in a very tight spot.

"Yeah, she is. So were my parents." So lost in the game before her, Severus noticed how casually she mentioned them. Without trying to deflect or move away from the subject.

"Are you going to make a move?" Rowan asked, grinning at her from across the table. "If this was an official match, you'd be out of time."

"I'm thinking!" She snapped back. Severus laughed softly, turning his attention to his mother's book, flipping it open. The first page was covered in a curse, written in her elegant handwriting.

"No!" Merula moaned. Severus looked up. Her king had been taken by his bishop.

"You win again Rowan," Severus chuckled, closing his book and putting it back in his robes. "How about I play with Merula? It'll give us a chance to actually win."

As the friends continued to talk and laugh in the warm common room, across the country, another group wasn't so warm. Evelyn Snyde stood out in the middle of a storm. The rain was coming down in droves, soaking through her black robes, drenching her. She stood atop a middle hill, overlooking a muggle city. It was large and looked like a dung heap. Rain pelted the buildings. How muggles managed to live in a place like this, she would never understand. It was much to grey for her liking. Given the choice, she wouldn't have set foot near it, but the Dark Lord had asked her here, and here she was. It had taken months to find it, with the other missions her and her cell had been on, but at last, they had come here.

Eileen Prince lived in one of these houses, with her filthy muggle husband. How she let herself have a child with him, she'd never know. Her child would be a true half-blood and why it was better than a mudblood, it tainted the blood that she passed along to them.

"My dear." Evelyn turned to look back, Jasper's face looking at her through the rain. His hair was soaked, much like his robes. His pale skin almost stood out against the darkness.

"What is it, my love?" Evelyn asked. She turned away from the muggle dung hole city.

"Miss Black has just reported back," he said quietly. Evelyn nodded. She had sent Bellatrix and Patrick into the city to look. They had pictures of Eileen when she was young, but not recent.

"Let's go." Walking away from Cokeworth, Evelyn moved towards the small, black tend. With the wind howling, one might have been afraid it would blow away, but Evelyn had made sure it would be held in place by magic. The area was full of concealment enchantments and muggle repelling charms. No one would come knocking.

As she entered the tent, it became clear that the inside was much larger than the outside. Other members of her cell moved around, but her eyes focused on two people. Bellatrix and Patrick stood side by side, soaking wet. "Well?" She asked.

Bellatrix grinned. "Good news."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angela Rowle is an older Ravenclaw OC. She will not be playing a large part in this story if she has any beyond this at all.
> 
> Every Witch, as you can see, is just a brand of make-up products, available to witches. I got the idea from Fred and George's Wonder Witch products.
> 
> I know in canon, Amelia was the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. There is no information that she was really an Auror before, but she always had been in my headcanon. So in this story, she's an Auror


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer_

_I, Syraxes, do not own the Harry Potter books, movies, or other assorted media. They are property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers studios. I am a humble fan, making this for the enjoyment of other fans. Please support the official release_

Severus, Merula, and Rowan spent the next day outdoors. The sky was overcast, a single, large cloud blanketing the sky above in grey. They tried getting into the Forbidden Forest, but the large, oafish, groundskeeper caught them.

After their day off, they threw themselves into work. It wasn't going to be long before the end of the year exams began. The rest of February went back in a flash, the teachers assigned more and more homework. Along with the increased workload, the material itself became harder and more complicated. It was a good thing Severus was a part of the Ravenclaw study group; it made the subjects he didn't understand easier to comprehend. The older students came by and offered help, which the group gratefully took.

Severus was seeing less of Professor Slughorn and his Slug Club. The old Professor didn't mind once Severus explained he was putting more and more of his time into studying. Slughorn seemed happy with that, but he said next term that Severus would be invited again. Severus replied he couldn't wait.

It was a Saturday in mid-April when Merula finally snapped. Severus, Rowan and her had been working on a particularly hard Transfiguration spell when she threw the book down and cursed. "All we do is study! All day, we just go to class, and then we come back and study more!"

"Well, isn't that what Ravenclaws do?" Rowan asked, setting his book down and chuckling at her. " _Wit beyond measure is man's greatest-_ "

" _treasure_. Yeah, I know the words. Still! If I had known this is all I'd be doing, I would have begged the sorting hat to put me into Hufflepuff or Slytherin!"

Severus snickered. "We don't study on Sundays."

"That's one day a week! Severus, come on!"

"I think the study group is a good thing. I probably wouldn't be doing half as good in Transfiguration without it."

"I'd be failing potions without your help, Severus."

"Don't sell yourself short Rowan. You'd manage."

"Listen. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but we're at Hogwarts. We should be doing something else, anything else, then just studying."

Severus sighed. He agreed with her; he only ever spoke to Lily in class these days. Potter and Black were in her house and probably got to see a lot of her in the Gryffindor common room. The Ravenclaw library was where Severus spent most of his free time now, studying and working. As much as the subject of magic interested him, he was starting to feel the burn out as well.

"How about we take the rest of the day off? We join the group for the study session later tonight, but the sun is out and shining. We could go down to the lake?"

Merula's eyes lit up and a smile crossed over her lips. "Yeah. Maybe we could catch a glimpse of the giant squid!"

So, Severus, Rowan, and Merula closed their books and left the common room. Severus spotted Potter and his gang picking a fight with Harper Avery and his Slytherin gang, but that wasn't any of Severus' business. He didn't care for Potter or Avery and if the two people he didn't like wanted to get into a fight? Well, who was he to judge?

The three friends took a seat at the edge of the lake. Merula insisted on throwing rocks in to see if she could get the giant squid's attention.

"You really think the squid is going to come up because a first year threw a rock in the water?" Rowan asked. She must have seen the grin on his face because she glared at him and Rowan.

"You have a better idea?" She snapped back, tossing a rock into the lake. It caused ripples, but otherwise the surface of the water was calm.

Merula glared at the lake like it was at fault for her not seeing the giant squid. "I know there's a giant squid living in the lake. I know it. My aunt said she fell into the lake when she was a first year and it pushed her back out into the boat."

Severus wondered if he had fallen out of the boat, would it have pushed him up?

"Sev!" Lily's voice called. Severus turned and saw Lily running towards him with her friend Mary Macdonald next to her. The two joined Severus and his friends.

"How did you do only McGonagall's last test? I was able to turn all ten needles into-"

 _BANG!_ The sound of a spell interrupted her. Severus jumped to his feet at the loud sound, thrusting his hands into his pocket. Harper was pointing his wand at where Potter was, crumbled on the ground. Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew were running towards them, their wands out. The rest of Avery's gang also drew their wands and Severus had the feeling that this was going to turn into a duel.

He never got to see if Potter or Avery's gang would triumph, at that moment, Professor Rakepick came running down from the school, making a beeline right for James and Harper. Severus released the handle of his wand and watched as Professor Rakepick swooped down in between the two groups, breaking up the fight before it could really begin. A wave of her wand and Potter was up, looking embarrassed, but no worse for wear.

Rakepick turned and unloaded at Avery, causing Severus to smile. When he wasn't the one being told off, it wasn't so bad. When she rounded on Potter and did the same, well that made his day.

Severus caught Avery's eye as he was being led back up to the castle, and gave him a wide smile. He didn't seem to appreciate it and made the universal gesture of loathing with his finger. Severus couldn't help himself; he laughed.

Returning to the lakeside, the events slowly escaped his mind and soon he was laughing with Lily and his other friends. Severus was starting to warm up to her Gryffindor friends, though it was a slow process. Potter and his gang were in their house and Severus still hadn't forgiven them for the prank they pulled on him.

Severus was really enjoying his time at Hogwarts. Other than Lily, he had never had a friend before. The muggle kids avoided him at home and picked on him at school. Severus returned it in kind and had started buying into the pureblood philosophy. At Hogwarts, things were different. He and Lily remained friends, she was his best friend, but he had other friends. Who liked him. Away from his father and the muggle children, Severus found he was starting to believe, like wizards, muggles could be good or bad. One look at Potter or Avery told him that wizards could be just as bad as muggles.

He was having the best time of his life and that time seemed to be flying by. It felt like no time at all, and Severus was already taking the end of the year exams. June brought with it blue, sunny skies, and warm weather. Severus would have spent all day outside if he hadn't been studying so much. He, Merula, and Rowan all agreed once the exams were over, they'd spent as much time as they could outside.

When the exams finally did come, Severus found them easier than he would have thought. They had to pass these exams to advance to the second year, and he had been dreading them. What if he failed and was forced to repeat the first year, while Lily, Merula, and Rowan went on to the second year? That worrying seemed a little foolish in hindsight; he felt like he knew the answers and didn't have too much of a problem with them, even on some of his worst subjects.

So finally free of exams, Severus, Merula, and Rowan enjoyed the summer weather. Sometimes the other first year Ravenclaws joined them (they had ended the study group, promising to pick it back up next year) and sometimes Lily with her friends. The end of term was drawing closer and closer, causing Severus to worry. Other than Potter and Avery, Hogwarts had felt like something out of a dream. Did he really want to return to Spinner's End and that house?

Three days before the end of term, Severus got a rude awakening. Potter and Avery had left him along for months, causing him to let down his guard. One "Oi Snivellus" instantly made him regret that choice.

The insult made him think of Potter and his gang, but when he turned around, the wand flying out of his hand, it was Avery, Mulciber, Rosier, and Wilkes. Mulciber reached up and caught Severus's wand. The four boys were grinning evilly at him. "Alright there, Snivellus?"

"Avery," he spat. Severus could feel a rush through him. His eyes flashed to his wand and he was ready to move. Mulciber fingered Severus' wand. _I'm in a bad spot._

"What's wrong Snape? You looked worried. Didn't do very well on your exams?"

Severus noticed all the Slytherins had their wands drawn and were pointed them at him. He was in a really bad spot; no one to help and, wandless in front of Avery and his goons.

"Well, your night is about to get a lot worse."

Severus balled fists. He knew a threat when he heard one. "What are you going to do? Too afraid to attack me alone? Need all your mates to back you up? I didn't know I made you so nervous Avery. I'm wandless right now."

Severus thought the insult might get to him. Cause him to lose his temper. He only kept smiling. "Do you think so little of us, Snape? Attacking a wandless man?"

Severus wasn't under any illusion about Avery or his mates. They'd happily attack someone who had lost their wand; he had seen it enough of their bullying in the corridors.

"No Snape. Just came to give you my condolences." Behind him, the other three boys laughed.

Severus didn't understand; he felt like they were laughing at some joke that he didn't understand. One that had him as the punchline. Severus didn't like it.

"Thank you for your kindness," Severus said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Now if you don't mind, I'll just take my wand and be on my way."

"Of course Snape. Mulciber, give him back his wand."

The boy, Mulciber, grinned. Severus watched as, instead of reaching out to return his wand, the boy snapped it in half. Severus watched disbelievingly as his wand, now in two pieces, was dropped to the ground. Severus scrambled forward, picking up both halves. His heart was pounding in his chest, as he stared at the broken wand. The familiar feeling of warmth as he gripped the end of the wand was gone. He felt like he had lost a limb. Until that moment, he didn't know how much he had come to value his wand. He had taken it for granted that he'd always have it and now? It felt like he had lost a dear companion.

It was lucky that the exams were over because he was wandless. Severus walked through the school hallways in a daze. What was he going to do now? He'd have to get a new wand. He couldn't complete his magical education with one. Would they be able to afford it? Many of his textbooks were second hand; his family didn't have a lot of money. Would he even be able to find another wand that would work as well for him as he did? He had spent a while in Olivander's shop the last time.

A group of older students was out in front of the Ravenclaw dorm door, chatting among themselves about the riddle. Severus might have joined them, but he didn't feel up to it. When the riddle was finally solved, Severus went straight up the right staircase, the first year boys dorm. He closed the curtain around his four-poster bed and laid down. He stared up at the ceiling for what felt like hours, listening as the doors opened and the other boys came inside.

"Severus?" Rowan whispered, the last one in. Severus closed his eyes and didn't say anything. After a few seconds, he heard Rowan's footsteps going towards his own bed.

Severus didn't know how long he laid there, staring up at the ceiling. One moment, his eyes felt heavy and he could hear breathing all around him. The next moment, he was in his Defense Against the Dark Arts class, his wand in his hand. He was dueling James Potter and Sirius Black at the same time, effortlessly beating them back, laughing the whole way.

"Severus?" A voice whispered in his ear. The world around him began to shake, though the others around him didn't seem to notice. "Severus, wake up."

He opened his eyes. The defense classroom was gone. Chester Davies was standing over him, shaking him. Severus blink. "Wasgoinom?" He mumbled.

"Severus. You need to get up. Follow me." Groggily Severus got out of bed. Rowan, Talbott, and Felix were all awake, staring at him and Chester. None of them spoke.

Severus followed Chest down the stairs, wondering if he should say something. _What's going on?_

The common room was near completely deserted. Only Angelica Cole was there. It took Severus a moment to realize she was waiting for him. "Come on Severus. Professor Flitwick needs to speak to you."

Severus followed behind the two prefects. Any questioning on his part did little good; neither of them seemed to know why their head of house needed to see him so early in the morning.

To his surprise, they didn't take him to Flitwick's office; they lead him to a stone gargoyle ("sherbet lemon") and up the winding staircase. Severus was startled when he saw Professor Dumbledore sitting behind the desk, Professor Flitwick occupying on-off the seat across.

"Ah, Mr. Snape. Please take a seat."

Severus glanced between the two men, gingerly taking the seat.

"Thank you for bringing Mr. Snape. You may go." Dumbledore nodded to Angelica and Chester. As the door closed behind them, both the Headmasters and Professor's eyes turned to him.

"Mr. Snape," Professor Flitwick began. "I am sorry to be the one who has to tell you this. The Dark Mark has appeared over your house this morning."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note:
> 
> We're close to the end of Severus Snape Year 1. Only one more chapter to go. Sorry, it's so short, but I knew it was going to be when I set out to write it. The first book doesn't really have a main conflict. Like Harry and the Philosopher's Stone, where the stone hidden at Hogwarts was endangered. I always knew I wanted the first book just to be a normal year at Hogwarts. The next six books will not be as conflict-free as the first one. I wanted to give the characters one normal year before shit hits the fan. You know, something Harry and his friends never got.
> 
> The wand that was snapped was the wand Severus had in canon. We never got to see what wood or core was used. I already know the wood and core that my Severus will have. However, if that information is ever released in the future, I have a feeling I wouldn't have picked the right kinds. So here his canon wand is snapped, whereas, in canon, he was paling around with Avery and his gang. As their friend, they wouldn't go around breaking his wand. They're not his friend in this story. Breaking it gives me room to give him a wand of my own design.


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer_

_I, Syraxes, do not own the Harry Potter books, movies, or other assorted media. They are property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers studios. I am a humble fan, making this for the enjoyment of other fans. Please support the official release_

The Ministry of Magic was the second most impressive building Severus had ever seen; topped by only Hogwarts. He focused on that thought for a second, before his mind returned to the matter at hand. Professor Flitwick led him through the Atrium and had this been any other time, then Severus might have stopped to bask in the wonder. But this was here and now; Severus had other things on his mind.

He followed his Head of House into the elevator, the only ones inside at that moment. They began to descend.

"Level One: Minister for Magic and Support Staff." A cool witch's voice said as the elevator stopped. The doors open and two harassed looking witches entered the lift, mumbling among themselves about someone named Andrew Mayfield, along with some unpleasant things about his mother. Severus tuned them out easily enough; his mind was on other things.

"The next one will be our stop," Flitwick said quietly.

"Level Two, The Department of Magical Law Enforcement, incorporating the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters, and Wizengamot Administration Services."

The doors opened and more witches and wizards entered the lift. Severus followed Professor Flitwick out into a crowded and busy hallway. Paper notes flew every which way above them, memo's Flitwick explained. A gaggle of witches running up and down the hall, a wizard looking frazzled. It seemed that the ministry itself was as chaotic as the rest of the wizarding world.

"Here we are, Mr. Snape. The Auror Office." Severus's first impression was that it was a sea of cubicles. Stretching back as far as he could see, Auror's moved in and around. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason, and Severus had a feeling he would only get more confused the more he watched. Professor Flitwick led him through the cramped aisle. Down past the endless chatter of the Auror's, to a wooden door. Flitwick reached up and knocked three times, before lowering his hand and waiting. A second passed. Then two. Almost twenty seconds had gone by (Severus counted, hoping it would help take his mind off his thoughts; it didn't help.)

"Enter," a voice finally called. Severus pushed the door open and followed his Head of House inside. A blast of warm air and the scent of tea hit Severus full force. It was a small room. Opposite the door they entered through, a polished wooden desk sat. Behind it, was a door on either side. A young woman sat behind the desk and smiled at the two. She waved them forwards.

"Mr. Flitwick. And you must be young Mr. Snape. The door on your right. They're waiting for you."

Severus didn't need to be told twice; a heartbeat later, he pushed his way past the door. Three people were around a small table at the center of the room, talking quietly. Severus registered Professor Dumbledore standing behind the table, whispering to a woman Severus didn't recognize. Across from the women, his mother said, staring down at the table, a mug fit snuggled in her hand.

"Mum!" He called, drawing the adult's attention towards him. Severus didn't care; he ran forwards and embraced her, He could feel her pull him into the hug.

Severus heard the Headmaster whisper he'd wait for them outside. A door closed a few seconds later, but Severus didn't care. His mother was here with him. She was alive.

It hardly felt like he was awakened four hours ago, in the middle of the night, and dragged to the Headmasters office. Flitwick and Dumbledore had explained that his house had been seen with the Dark Mark, the sign of He-Know-Must-Not-Be-Named above it. Other than that, they didn't have much information. No news of either of his parents, but it was normal to find the occupants of placed marked by the Dark Mark to be dead. Severus waited there in Dumbledore's office until he was allowed to floo over.

"Mum." It might have been embarrassing at another time, but after spending hours wondering what had happened to her, he didn't care that he was crying.

A voice coughed and Severus reluctantly pulled away. The woman on the other side of the table stared pleasantly at them. His mother took her seat. The woman drew her wand and gave it a flick; a chair appeared behind him. Severus sat.

"I understand this must be a stressful time for both of you. It's not a pleasant experience to find the Dark Mark above your house. Believe me, I know. That said, I do have to ask you some questions. I'm Auror Amelia Bones. I was first on the scene at your home in the early hours of the morning. I hope you won't mind if I conduct this interview."

 _Amelia Bones?_ The name sounded familiar. Suddenly it came back to him; she had been in the papers. Famous for bringing in Lothar Krenz. Edgar's older sister.

"That's fine," his mother said softly. Severus looked over at her tear ridden face.

"For the record, you are Eileen Snape, nee Prince, correct?"

His mother nodded.

"And this is your son, Severus Tobias Snape? First year Hogwarts student, from what you reported?"

"Yes." His mother's answer was almost a whisper. He turned back to look at Amelia Bones. Getting to see her up close, Severus could see the resemblance between her and Edgar. Severus wasn't very close to Edgar Bones, but he had seen him enough to recognize the similarities. From what Edgar has said, she's ten years his elder.

"I see. Have you been informed of your husbands... Passing?" She finished awkwardly. Severus blinked. His father's passing?

"Yes. Auror Moody explained that his... body..." Severus' mother trailed off, looking down at him. "Was found on the first floor."

Amelia nodded, throwing a look at him. "Yes. That's correct. Do you have any enemies, Mrs. Snape? Anyone who might want to..." Her questioning continued to, and his mother answered, but Severus was no longer paying attention. They had both looked at him just now. When talking about how his father was found. It didn't take a genius to figure out that they wanted to keep the more gruesome details, whatever those might be, from him. Severus found he didn't appreciate this. At all. He was twelve years old; they didn't have to sugar coat everything.

The brief feeling of annoyance passed, replaced by the same dread he had been feeling since he found out about the Dark Mark over their house. What were they going to do? They didn't have the money to afford another house; not even a small flat. He and his mother also couldn't go back to that house; not when the Death Eater knew where it was. Had already attacked it.

Then there was his father. His father... His mother used to tell stories about her life, from her time growing up (though leaving out her brother), her years at Hogwarts, and after she graduated. How she had fallen in love with a dashing muggle man, disobeying her parents, never seeing them again. Back then, she had said he'd been kind; witty. Severus never knew that side of him; as far back as he could remember, Tobias Snape had been a drunkard. He screamed out his mother every day, hit her (admittedly not very often, but he had seen it) drinking most of the money away, barely leaving enough for food. When Severus had gone to Hogwarts, he had to use the student fund since they couldn't afford books, robes, or anything else he needed. Now though... Now his father was dead. Gone. Out of the picture. Severus knew he should be broken up about it, the man was his father, but the thought he'd never have to listen to his father scream at his mother. Never have to watch him hit her... It was a relief.

"Okay, I think that can conclude this interview," Amelia Bones said, bringing Severus out of his thoughts and back to the present. Amelia closed her notebook, slipping it back into her robes. "Which brings us to your arrangements. Minister Bagnold has approved a victim fund for those that have been affected by Death Eaters. It's a fairly encompassing program, that a member of the committee would be happy to walk you through. However, there is the matter of your home arrangements. Part of this fund goes to resettling victims of the Death Eaters violence. We can begin to make arrangements to move both of you to another house. Out of the country, if need be."

Severus turned back to his mother. She loved his father, even know. He didn't know why the person who he had been was gone long before his death. She loved that small house in the muggle neighborhood. He didn't think she'd want to move.

"We don't have the money. Even if we were put up somewhere, I don't have a job. I can't pay the taxes."

Both his mother and Auror Bones sounded so awkward. Like it was strange to be having this conversation. It seemed likely that Auror Bones didn't have a lot of experience dealing with the fallout of a Death Eater attack like this.

Amelia Bones, in a move that surprised Severus, reached her hand out and put it on her shoulder. "That's what the victim fund is for, Mrs. Snape. Along with the money, we have legal experts that have agreed to donate time and effort to the victims. Until more permanent arrangements can be made, we have a new safe house scattered across the country. We'll let you up in one. As for your son, his belongings will be retrieved from Hogwarts and brought to the safe house. And whatever else you want from your home. On the matter of new arrangements, Headmaster Dumbledore wishes to speak with you about that. If you would, please wait here, why I see about the status of a safe house. If you want, I can send Albus Dumbledore in. Otherwise, until I get back, it'll just be the two of you."

His mother looked down at him, meeting his eyes. She had the same eyes as Severus, though whatever thoughts lingered behind those eyes, he couldn't even start to guess.

"Yes. Please tell Albus that he's welcome to come in."

As Amelia Bones left, Severus wondered how Dumbledore was on a first name basis with his mother. She had never mentioned him before, other than explaining he was the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Severus. I'm so glad you're safe." Even fiercer than before, his mother pulled him into a crushing hug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we have it folks, the last chapter of The Prince's Tale: Year 1. I hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> I know these last two chapters have been on the shorter side. I had other idea's original, that would have not only extended the fanfic's length overall but these chapters as well. However, I decided that I'd rather use them in the upcoming fics.
> 
> So we leave the story of the Half-Blood Prince here for now. Severus' first year at Hogwarts was that of a relatively normal year within the school; no Azkaban prisoner escaping and coming to the school. No secret chamber being opened and a monster let out. No tournament, where someone is trying to kill us here, or else the Headmaster choosing to hide something of great importance at the school. Just a normal year (or as normal as one can get during a war).
> 
> I do plan on continuing this. As this chapter is posted, I will be starting on the sequel, though it might be awhile before it's out. When I do release it, I will post an update on this fic.
> 
> So until next time, this is Syraxes, signing off


End file.
